Sanctuary
by rhavensfyre
Summary: Regina is a prominent attorney for a law firm in Boston. When a stalker threatens her safety the senior partner of her firm sends her to a secret farm just outside a small town called Storybrook. Emma is an army veteran whose job it is to keep her safe. Can she keep Regina safe when the stalker finds their hidden Sanctuary This is AU and all Swan Queen femslash
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi all this is our first time attempting swan queen so please be kind lol.

This will be AU no magic and no Henry. If any of you are familiar with our other works you will see that we cover some pretty intense subject matter with a solid smattering of smut.

Oh and Gold is actually a good guy in this story isn't AU grand?

SO if you like this let us know so we know how quickly to update.

Chapter 1

"Regina, we need to talk. This can't continue any longer." Regina looked up to find Mr. Gold, the firm's senior partner and her close friend and mentor standing in her doorway holding up an open manila envelope. He looked upset and agitated, which was highly unusual for the usually calm and self-controlled older man.  
"Whatever are you talking about, Gold?" Regina always addressed him by his last name. It was an old joke between them and she enjoyed picking on him by doing it regularly. They were partners now, but her past as a Prosecuting attorney for the state and his past as one of the leading defense attorneys in the region had led them to butt heads for many years. Their original professional animosity had slowly morphed over the years into mutual respect and finally, an odd friendship that served her well when she decided to stop working as a prosecutor and return to private practice.  
"These, these horrible pictures. Why didn't you tell me this was still going on? "The manila envelope landed on Regina's desk with an angry smack, spilling the offending photo's out onto her desk. Looking down, Regina tentatively spread the photos out, using a single fingertip to move them around as if she didn't want to touch them too much.  
"I thought it would stop if I ignored it." First it was just odd phone calls that hung up when she answered, and then she started getting bouquets of flowers from some unknown "admirer" who left rambling and questionable promises on the enclosed card. This new development was more then disturbing, photographs sent to her with no explanation. For all intents and purposes, the photo's themselves were innocuous, looking very similar to any set of surveillance shots she would receive from the police or the occasionally hired PI. There was only problem. The black and white glossies were of her. As she went through the 8x10's, she realized the photographer, whoever he was, had captured her leaving her house, going shopping, and even coming out of the gym. A spike of fear ran through her as she realized that not only did he know where she lived and worked, but he also had an overly familiar knowledge of her routines and driving routes. She stopped at one particular shot, inhaling sharply in recognition. She was in her running gear, listening to her music on her i-phone while jogging across one of the many bridges in the wooded park near her house. It was a secluded area, and the route was one she enjoyed because it was green and quiet and not filled with dozens of women pushing their strollers along with total disregard for anyone else. Her head shot up, fear imprinting her face as she looked at her closest friend for reassurance. She needed it; the last shot of her jogging…was from this morning. Looking at her watch, she realized that it had only been about four hours ago that she had been there, alone, the noise of the city blocked out by her ear buds. She had been a victim waiting to happen, and all because she was too stubborn to see how dangerous this game had become.  
"You need to get away from here until we can find this bastard." Gold was gratified that Regina was finally taking this situation and him seriously. Having a stalker was no joke, and this one was particularly disturbing. Neither he nor Regina knew who her stalker was, but she had put away a lot of really nasty people in the past. It could be anyone she had dealt with, someone with a grudge who didn't like it that the Lady Prosecutor had sent them away for their crimes.  
"What are you saying? You want me to leave the firm?" Regina started to freak out. What would she do without her work? As sad is it sounded, her job was her life and she had just made partner at the firm.  
"No, not that…. but I do want you safe." Gold shook his head, reassuring Regina that his motivation was purely for her sake. She had to know that he was just trying to protect her.  
"And, I know just the place for you to go until we catch who ever this is." Gold continued. They both knew how slow these things could go. The police department was overworked and despite Regina's contacts in the Prosecutor's Office, the lack of any real threat or suspect made the prospect of catching the bastard a daunting one at best. They could only hope that he or she would tire of their game and simply slink back into whatever slimy hole they had crawled out.  
"Where?" Regina asked with dread, she knew just as well as Gold that wherever he was putting her, it was going to be a while.  
"My niece's farm. It's only a couple hours away from here, just outside of the small town I grew up in. "  
"I didn't know you had a niece." Regina let herself get caught up in the details; it was easier then thinking about all the cases she was going to have to give over to her colleagues. "And I sure didn't know you came from a little Podunk town somewhere." The jibe wasn't lost on Gold, but he ignored her, simply smiling at her before speaking again.  
"Yes, my brother had taken over the family farm when I came here; he was the more traditional son. He got married and had a little girl. Unfortunately him and his wife died a few years ago." Gold paused then, waiving away Regina's murmured apology for his loss.  
"It was quite a while ago. Both my brother and his wife died in a car accident, a drunk driver ran them off the road one night. I inherited both the farm and my niece, although she was almost eighteen and wanted nothing to do with me. She joined the Army soon after their death; I think she wanted to get away from all the pain. Also, they had left the farm to me to run until she turned 24. I guess they thought it would encourage her to finish college first before coming back to the farm. She was livid when she found out, and was quiet verbal about her feelings on the matter. She pretty much bulled her way into getting emancipated so she could join the army at 17."  
Gold realized he was rambling, giving Regina more information then she probably wanted. But for some reason he felt like she should know as much about his niece as possible before meeting her.  
Rubbing his temples with his fingertips, he took a moment to consider what and how much he should tell Regina.  
"Anyways, she spent almost 10 years in, working her way up the ranks and doing well. I worried about her, of course, what with the war and all, but she seemed happy." He took a deep breath then, choosing his next words wisely, Regina had to know what she was heading into but she also had to trust his judgment in sending her to stay with his niece.  
"Her last deployment was rough; some things went down that she still doesn't talk about. I know she was injured along with a couple of her buddies and it hit her hard. She got out of the service after that and moved back to the family farm. It's quiet there, and she needed some time to get over her injuries."

"I know my niece, Regina, she is capable and trustworthy, and I know she will protect you." And maybe Regina will be good for her as well, Gold thought to himself. He really did love his niece and she just hadn't been the same since she came back from the war. He hadn't wanted her to enlist after her parents were killed, but he couldn't stop her. She was as stubborn as her father and him for that matter. Her decision had horrible consequences, and he knew deep down inside that her visible wounds were the least of what she had brought back with her. She insisted on staying isolated on the farm now and Gold didn't think it was healthy at all. His contacts in Storybrook kept him abreast of things, and she had made little attempt at making friends or interacting with his hometown community. The only time they saw her is for the occasional foray to the grocery store for supplies or the rare meal at Grannies, always alone and always silently unapproachable. She would eat and leave, and that was it.  
"But, what am I going to do?" Regina's thoughts were practically visible. She was used to working 60 hours a week; she would go stir crazy with nothing to occupy her time. Unfortunately for her, this was the last thing that Gold was worrying about right now.  
"Stay safe, Regina. That is all I want or need you to do." Seeing Regina open her mouth to begin arguing again, he held up his hand against her unspoken argument. "This isn't up for debate, Regina."  
Regina just sighed. She wasn't willing to give in all the way, not just yet, even if she knew he was right. She looked back down at the photos, she could string them together and map out her entire day, feeling her stomach knot against the sudden adrenaline rush as her flight or fight response raced fearfully into overdrive. She felt the danger to her person all the way to her core, and this alone made her agree to go along with his plan.

XXX

"It's a pretty town, isn't it?" Gold asked a silent Regina as they drove thru Storybrook. It was a quaint little place that probably had nothing to offer his gentrified passenger. He tried to ignore her look of horror as Main Street slipped by almost as fast as they had found it. Storybrook was not a big town, in fact, he was sure it barely qualified as one at all. His niece's farm sat a few miles outside of town and he turned onto the main road leading north as the small town slid out of sight beneath a canopy of heavy forest. He had rented a car, bought Regina a pre-paid cell phone, and then insisted on driving her himself to the farm. It was the best he could do to prevent someone from following him or tracing Regina's location. He hadn't even let her go home to pack, reasoning that if her stalker could get close enough to get pictures of her entering and leaving her house, than it wasn't safe or prudent for her to go home before leaving.  
"I can't believe you wouldn't let me get anything from home." Regina groused, pissed at the loss of her personal computer and of course, her clothes. What little shopping they had done on the way left much to be desired, mostly Jeans and casual shirts from off the rack. What she was most bitter about were her underclothes. This unexpected trip took her out of her favorite silk and lace undies and put her in cotton! Of all the things she was already missing was her nice panties and bra's, and she had to laugh at herself for such an idiotic thing to bitch about. Why in the world would she need nice clothes out here, let alone nice underthings? It's not like anyone would be seeing them.

"My niece can get you anything you need. Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it? You are asking me to put my trust, my life even, in the hands of a total stranger."

"She's not a stranger, she's my niece, and I expect you to stay safe, which is why we are going to such extremes." He was adamant about his decision.

"I don't get it; we hide people away all the time, why do you want me to go here?" Regina was naturally suspicious, it was a part of who she was, and Gold was being too accommodating, no matter how close a friend he was.

Mr. Gold actually had the good graces to flush just a little bit, although his patented toothy grin stayed plastered on his face. If anything, it deepened a bit before addressing her very astute line of questioning.

"Actually, maybe you can do something for me while you are there."

Regina looked at him slyly, of course there were strings attached, there were always strings attached when dealing with Mr. Gold. She was, however, actually curious as to what he could expect her to do way out here in the sticks. She decided to just take the direct route and ask him.

"What do you need me to do?"

" She needs somebody out there with her, someone that won't let her bullshit them. Don't get me wrong, she will protect you. She seems to have a natural instinct for it. I am counting on it, actually. I just need you to be there so she has something to do, something else to occupy her mind other then the past. Don't let my niece bully you, she's isolated herself out there for a long time, so I am sure her social graces are lacking a bit, she can be quite the pain in the ass." Gold said with a fond smile.

"Oh great that's just what I need right now, you are asking me to babysit my babysitter? Are you serious, can't I just go hole up in a hotel or something?"

"No. You will be safer here than you ever would be in a hotel. She's a good person, Regina, she just has some quirks."  
Gold new he was taking liberties with that definition, but wasn't willing to elaborate on her more common ones like playing her music too loud at three in the morning when she can't sleep or refusing to go to town more than once every other week. He would just be happy if Regina could get her off the farm for longer than an hour a week. He knew Regina pretty well, and he knew it wouldn't take her long to get bored out here in such an isolated place. He also couldn't see her taking no for an answer from his niece. The two women matched each other well in sheer stubbornness.

XXX

As they drove up the long drive to the farmhouse, Gold realized he had made one huge mistake. Before he got too far, he found the rental car blocked by his niece on horseback, a rifle tucked into the crook of her arm as she held her horse in the middle of the road with her other hand on the reins. Her body was loose and she wasn't pointing the gun quite at the unfamiliar car, but the threat was fairly obvious.

Regina's jaw had dropped practically down to her chest as she took in the tall rider controlling the antsy horse so easily, she couldn't see a face under the black cowboy hat, but it was definitely a she. A very slim, long legged, blonde haired she at that. Unfortunately, SHE was also holding them at gunpoint and Regina wanted to know why.

"Good god, what have you gotten me into?" Regina couldn't take her eyes off of the woman on horseback in front of them, she looked like she came right of one of those old time westerns that came on late at night.

"Ah, Yes, I probably should have called her and told her to expect us." Before Regina could blast him for that statement, he unlocked his door and took of his seat belt with slow careful movements.

"Don't worry, I will go out there and explain." He said, as he opened the car door slowly. A combination of summer heat and air flavored by the surrounding fields drifted, along with the scent of horse and leather before He closed the door to leave the residual odors to mix and mingle with the sterile air conditioning cooling the dark interior of the car. Regina was left alone to watch as Gold stood there for a moment before the tall blonde slid her rifle into the saddles scabbard and dismounted quickly, the movement smooth and quick and ending in a small puff of dust escaping from beneath a pair of equally dusty cowboy boots. Now that the blonde was standing instead of slouching over a saddle, Regina realized the woman was even taller then she thought, her long legs encased in old blue jeans that fit her too well, and a black tank top riding across slim hips. Regina shook her head. What the hell was she doing checking out Gold's niece? Scratch that, she thought to herself, what was she doing checking out Gold's very dangerous looking niece? You know the one with such a nice tan and long blonde hair, and legs that went on forever?

"What the hell Unc, are you trying to get shot?" She wasn't really too upset, it was kinda fun scaring the crap out of her Uncle, and he did seem to be a bit green in the gills after she rode up and stopped the unknown sedan. He really should have told her he was coming, especially in a car she wouldn't recognize.

"No, dear. I'm sorry, I forgot to call and tell you I was coming up. It was kind of an emergency." He walked away from the rental to speak to his niece, since she didn't seem keen on leading her horse any closer to the running car.

"I need your help. A lawyer at my firm is having a problem with a stalker and it's no longer safe for her to stay in Boston. I couldn't think of any place safer than the farm." Gold rushed out.

"What about the police?" She had caught the her reference. She was in no mood to put up with a city chick.

"The police can't really do anything without physical contact and we have no idea who this person is. Please it's just until we can figure out who this creep is" Gold continued to fill her in, his niece glancing back at the car once in a while. She could make out a figure but no details behind the tinted glass.

"I need your help. I have never asked you for anything, but I am asking it now." It was strange that her uncle was so concerned about this one particular woman. Her curiosity continued to climb as he continued to explain, her piqued interest competing directly with her intense need for privacy.

Ultimately, she knew she couldn't turn him down. He was the only family she had left and even though she had originally been pissed that he had gotten the farm when her parents died, she had seen too much in the war to continue being upset about something so trivial. Plus, he was right there when she came back to welcome her home, and he took care of all her finances so she could live in quiet on her parent's farm. He was right; he had never asked her for anything except a bit of her time every couple of weeks when he would visit. She was his only family, too. She was his only brother's child. As a family, they were the only one's left who gave a damn about the farm their family had owned for generations.

"Fine, I will watch out for her. But I am not going to change my habits to accommodate her."

Regina was having a hard time sitting in the car watching as two people argued and decided her life for her. She rolled down the window so she could at least hear what they were saying, putting up with the heat and dust blowing into the car to do so. Unfortunately, between the breeze, the engine running, and the distance, she could only hear bits and pieces. As the argument got more animated, Regina got angrier. This was her life, dammit; she should know what was being decided for her!  
She couldn't bare the thought of embarrassing herself by leaning out the window but she did her best to strain her hearing. She caught a bit of one sentence then heard two words clearly when the wind shifted suddenly.

"...Freaking babysitter!" What the hell? Did she think it was her job to babysit her? She had only been joking with Gold, but she really didn't want this young woman to think she had to take care of her like some child, she had already heard the woman call her a "city chick", whatever that meant. She obviously thought she was more trouble then she wanted to deal with, Regina was really starting to rethink this. A hotel was sounding so much better.

"But I mean it Unc, if this is some ploy of yours to bring in some freaking babysitter to watch over me!" The rest of the threat lay between them, unspoken. She would do it for him, but she wasn't happy.

"Understood. Thank you." Gold meant it. But, he was also hoping that Regina's presence might get his niece to change some of her ways. He missed the rambunctious person she had been before her parents died. She had been full of light and life and mischievousness.

Just then, a car door slammed and her horse jumped behind her at the sudden noise. She calmed him with a quick word and a pat before turning back and found herself stunned into speechlessness as a beautiful brunette stepped carefully from the car. Holy crap she was gorgeous. The dark haired woman was a couple of inches shorter than herself, even in her entirely inappropriate high heels, AND she had curves in all the right places. She could say that the woman instantly pulled at her heart strings, except that those strings were way too low to be anywhere near her heart. She hadn't felt that rush of exhilaration since the war, and she found her body on alert to every nuance and movement as the obviously angry woman stalked towards them in those ridiculous heels.

"Listen here, I am not here to be babysat by anyone!" Regina practically spit her words outs, her chocolate brown eyes deceptively soft until they flashed and burned with outrage. It didn't help her anger that the blonde woman, her eyes hidden in shadow by the brim of her cowboy hat, stood silently by as she continued her tirade.  
When she finished, the woman smiled, no smirked, at her with lips that twitched against held back laughter.

"It's nice to meet you too, Regina. I'm Emma Swan, and I will be making sure you stay safe, but I can assure you that I am not YOUR babysitter." Emma took off her cowboy hat and stuck her hand out, surprised at the strength in the other woman's grip as they shook hands, noticing the grip tighten perceptively as their eyes met for the first time.  
Emma looked at Regina quizzically; she hadn't released her hand yet.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, her words overlapping Regina's quiet murmur.

"You have the most exquisite green eyes."

"Excuse me?" Emma wasn't sure if she had her right, their words had tumbled together in the brisk wind around them.

Regina shook herself free from her uninvited thoughts and Emma's hand at the same time.

"Nothing, nothing at all."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: We don't own Once Upon a Time or its characters but we do retain any original storyline or plot as our own.

On that Note, we want to thank all of you who have added us as a favorite/follow author/story/etc as well as all of the lovely reviews! Especially those mysterious guest reviewer's who seem to know us already. We enjoy reading your reviews almost (I hope) as much as you enjoy reading our stories. This chapter begged to be posted ASAP, not just because of the overwhelming interest we have received, but also because it helps sets the stage for the rest of it. We have just begun to write this story, and I look forward to many more chapters to share with you all.

Chapter 2

It took Regina a minute to recover from her initial meeting with Emma Swan.

She hadn't been able to see the other woman's face clearly because of the sun and the beat up cowboy hat, so when the other woman took off her hat and stuck her hand out to introduce herself Regina felt like she had been hit by lightning.

"Regina Mills" she finally said in greeting. She couldn't remember, has she already given her name? It was all she could get out while looking up at the taller blond. Released from the deep shadow that had hid her fine features, Emma's clear green eyes surveyed her with mild interest. The sun seemed to seek out the golden strands of her hair; dust motes dancing in the air around creating a halo effect that made her seem almost angelic looking. The effect was almost ruined by the woman's stance; she stood in a deceptively relaxed posture that promised the ability to casually move into instant violence. Those green eyes never stopped moving, taking in the landscape around her before sliding past Regina again. It was difficult for Regina to capture those remarkable gold flecked eyes with her own; Emma made eye contact with her only fleetingly before she scanned their surroundings again.

"I need to get him untacked." Emma said, gesturing to the horse standing patiently behind her. "Unc here can take your stuff into the house." Emma needed to have one last moment of solace before Regina invaded her sanctuary for God knows how long.

"I only have a few bags. Just some basics we picked up on the way here." Regina said softly, she tried to keep the regret out of her voice as she mentally packed her Louis Vitton luggage with her own clothing, most of which she had to admit would not be appropriate for wandering around Emma's farm. But there was always the town, what was it?

Oh, yeah, Storybrook.

Surely she could have used at least a few decent outfits to travel into town. She couldn't just hole up here for weeks on end; she wasn't a recluse for God's sake.

_But Emma was…_

"Actually Emma dear, I need to head out as soon as possible, I don't want to attract too much interest with her stalker still at large. You can just take Regina's stuff up to the house as soon as you are done with the horse, can't you?" Her uncle turned towards Regina and continued speaking directly to her guest, effectively ignoring the sharp daggers she was throwing at him, metaphorically of course.

"Oh, and Regina? I cancelled your mail already and opened up a P. . I will send your mail to you addressed to Emma." Gold smiled not so innocently at the two women before walking away. He knew his niece too well, if he didn't leave now and leave them to work things out, she would figure out a way to delay him. It was better to just cut and run, so to speak, and let them have at it now. He only felt mildly guilty for forcibly invading her vaunted privacy, but he also knew it was exactly what she needed to push her back into the land of the living. No one should live with ghost's day in and day out, reminding you that you survived when others didn't.

"Sorry to you both, but Emma will just have to take you shopping for anything else you might need." He smirked at his niece as he opened the car door, ducking in before either of them could find something to prevent him from going.

"Ladies, stay safe. I will call later." He called out as he turned the rental sedan around, waving his hand at them as he left the two women, one light and one dark, standing there with identical looks on their face. He had to chuckle, it was the first time either of them had been left speechless in front of him.

"The bastard" Emma growled "Ok do you want to go into the house or come with me?"

"I will just accompany you, if you don't mind." If she was going to be stuck here, she should at least familiarize herself with the buildings.

Emma just shrugged, it didn't matter to her.

"Watch your step, high heels really aren't that good for walking around the farm." She warned as the dark haired woman struggled to keep up with her, her bags hanging from either hand wobbling as she walked unsteadily on the uneven ground.

"You will definitely need better shoes." If Regina insisted on walking around in those damn heels she would break her fool neck. Emma's responsibility was to keep her safe from her stalker, not from inappropriate footwear.

Emma led her horse into the shade of the barn. What the hell was she supposed to do with her new guest? She wasn't really a people person and now she was responsible for some city woman.

As she was leading Casper into his stall she realized Regina was following her closely. Fool woman should know better then to stand behind a strange horse. Not that the palomino gelding would ever hurt her, he was a good boy. She patted the pale neck in response to her thought, his head dipping down for a more thorough scratch. She smiled affectionately at the gelding; he was such an attention whore. Her focus on untacking Casper, she nodded her head towards an old wooden bench lining the aisle way.

"You can sit there while I take care of Casper here."

Regina bristled a little at the rudeness of the other woman, but decided to hold her tongue for now as she gratefully took a seat on the bench. Emma was right; she had to get more appropriate shoes.

"Can I help with anything?" she asked trying to be polite.

"I doubt it." Emma muttered, not realizing the other woman had heard her.

"I was just trying to be polite Ms. Swan I didn't ask for this anymore than you did."

"Don't call me that. Your right, you didn't ask for this. We will just have to make the best of this." She was used to being called Emma, or Staff Sergeant Swan, or even just Swan to her buddies, but she really preferred being just Emma. It was simple and unassuming, two things she was trying to keep her life right now.

Regina sat quietly as Emma stripped the tack off her horse methodically. She slid the heavy looking western saddle off the broad back of the palomino first, which she then tossed up easily onto the top rail of the stall, then removed the saddle pad, which went upside down on top of the saddle. The bridle came off last, the passive horse obediently lowering his head when she brought the thin leather up over his ears. She hung the bridle from the saddle horn, making sure the long reins were looped and not touching the stall floor before she started brushing him down. Regina was amazed at the efficiency with which the blond worked as she worked the grime out of the sweat darkened coat; the outline of the saddle pad disappearing beneath the long firm swipes of the stiff brush in her hand. After a handful of grain and a quick check on his water bucket, Emma grabbed up the saddle and placed it on a stacked bale of hay outside of Casper's stall. She closed the door to the stall on the gelding munching away contently on his grain, double checking the latch before glancing at the brunette watching her.

"Come on."

"Seriously, can you form a full sentence?" Regina was letting her irritation show at being ignored, and she couldn't help respond to what she thought of as rudeness with the sarcastic question.

"Sometimes, if I try real hard." Emma quipped, she had thicker skin then that, and it amused her that Regina thought sarcasm would get to her. She should try having six drill sergeants yelling at you all at once, trying to break you down, before trying to get to her that way.

But really, she should make an effort to get along with her beautiful guest, if only because her uncle asked her to. She grabbed her tack and carried it into the tack room her long stride sure and steady even in the dim light of the barn. Regina stayed surprisingly close to her as she looked around curiously. Regina stepped into the tack room practically on Emma's heels and noticed immediately that there were three saddles.

"How many horses do you have?" She asked, her curiosity piqued, she had only seen the Palomino, Casper.

"Two." Again with the one word sentences, Regina pushed down her frustration and concentrated on getting more conversation out of the terse blond woman.

"Why do you have three saddles for two horses?" She looked down the aisle, but didn't see the other horse.

"The other two saddles were my parents." Ah, that made sense. The two saddles sat apart from Emma's and while they appeared well maintained and oiled, they also showed a pale layer of dust against the leather surface. They hadn't been used in quiet a while.

"Let's get your stuff up to the house." Emma said, changing the subject abruptly. There was something about her voice, a certain unexpressed sadness that held Regina's next question. She wanted to see this mysterious other horse. Emma had said she had two horses, she wondered if Emma might be willing to take her riding one day.

Emma surprised her by bending down and relieving Regina of her burden. It was an unexpected gesture, and it made her wonder at the sudden show of gallantry in the otherwise abrupt and sometimes downright rude young woman.

"Hmm."

"What? It was a complete sentence." Regina wasn't sure if Emma was making fun of her, or herself, but either way she didn't care. A genuine smile flashed across the blonde woman's stunning features, transforming her into something eminently desirable. That fleeting glimpse of a carefree and spirited Emma had left Regina breathless. In one unguarded moment, Emma had captured something deep within her. She found a deep need developing within her to bring that spirit to the surface, to wipe away the years and find the real Emma Swan beneath all that bravado and self enforced isolation.

Emma took Regina's few shopping bags up to the second floor bedroom that would be hers for the duration of her stay while Regina stayed below to snoop around in the kitchen. She had been too nervous to eat lunch today and now she was starving. She wasn't a big breakfast person, so the last real meal she had eaten was dinner the night before.

"Emma, you don't have anything to eat." She was appalled at the state of Emma's kitchen; the empty refrigerator was a vacant wasteland of bright white light illuminating a sad collection of questionable condiments.

"Yes, I do." Regina didn't know what was worse, that Emma believed what she just said or that she was completely unaware of how little she had in the way of food.

"I absolutely refuse to live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We are just going to have to go grocery shopping."

"I'm sorry, what?" Emma's face slipped into a look of horror as she realized what Regina was asking her to do.

"You heard me just fine, Ms. Swan, so just get your keys so we can go to the grocery store before it gets much later. I am quite sure that this small town has a grocery store but I doubt it has any reason to stay open very late."

Regina paused, taking in the stubborn set of Emma's jaw and not wanting to argue about this any longer. It was time to push the envelope a bit, so she asked the one thing she was sure would encourage Emma to give in to her demand.

"Unless you want to take me out for dinner?" She asked it sweetly, abandoning her argumentative tone for something less aggressive and much more suggestive. She surprised herself with the subtle undertone of her own voice, it certainly hadn't been intentional.

Regina's threat clinched it for her, Emma would rather brave the grocery store then put up with the looks and attempts at friendly conversation she would have to endure at Grannies.

"Fine, we'll go shopping, and I already told you once, do not call me Ms. Swan." Emma was pissed that the brunette woman had outmaneuvered her so easily. She hated shopping, but at least it will be one quick trip and she can get enough groceries to last at least a week, two if she was lucky.

"Aren't you going to change and clean up?" Emma had grabbed her keys and her cowboy hat and stood at the doorway ready to go. She was also wearing the same pair of dusty jeans and tank top she had just gone riding in.

"Why?" Emma responded with a "what now" expression on her face.

"You smell like a horse and your clothes are filthy." Regina thought it should be obvious, but evidently the woman was quite the barbarian when it came to how she presented herself to the outside world.

"What's wrong with how horses smell and why would I change just to get dirty again when we get back?"

"There is nothing wrong with how a horse smells, IF you are a horse….which you most definitely are not." Regina wasn't even going to tackle the clothing issue, it seemed like a lost cause and she was way too hungry and cranky to keep this ridiculous argument going.

"Well, I don't want to offend your delicate sensibilities, so I will just leave the top down on the Jeep. That way you won't have to smell me." Emma practically snarled at the uppity woman before slamming out the door to retrieve her jeep.

XXX

Shopping with Emma turned out to be a very trying experience for Regina. She had never seen someone fidget so much at being in public, and they were only in the store for an hour. She wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, she seemed tense the entire time they shopped, her full lips pressed into an uninviting and stern line that was reflected in the cold expression she used to keep people away from her.

_It's a good_ _thing I have seen her in a different light then this, or else this excursion would be completely unbearable_, Regina thought to herself. The only contribution Emma had made was to get an entire case of Redbull. Really, how much caffeine does one woman need anyway?

On the way back to the jeep, Regina's eyes lighted on an unexpected and delightful vision. This tiny little town had a designer clothing store, right next to a lingerie store. Her hunger forgotten, she insisted on going across the street to shop for some decent clothes.

"Oh, hell no…." Emma was not going into either store but she also wasn't prepared for a public argument either.  
"You know what, Regina, just take the card and go shopping." When Regina asked her what she was going to do, she just simply grinned. It wasn't a happy face, and when Regina realized that the stubborn woman was going to sit in the jeep and wait for her, she let her.

"Don't worry, Regina, I can watch you from right here, so I won't be shirking my duties to you or my uncle." Emma emphasized her statement with the sound of a Redbull being popped open. She had caffeine and a straight line of sight into the two offending shops, Regina would be ok without her.

By the time they got back to the farm, Emma was more then ready to escape back to the outdoors. She helped Regina get all the groceries out of the jeep, including the bags of new clothes Regina had purchased in town. There were a lot of them, but her Uncle had said there would be plenty of money on the card to cover any unexpected expenses from Regina's presence.

Regina had popped upstairs to put away her bags, but made it back down just in time to find Emma halfway out the door.

"Where are you going?" Regina demanded, surprised that Emma was heading back outside. She had hoped that she would chose to stay closer to her, since she was supposed to be protecting her.

"Outside." The short answer was just this side of curt, but Regina was learning to not take it too personally. Gold was right about one thing; Emma had certainly lost a great deal of her social graces. Still, she had suffered through her shopping spree, and Regina thought she should return the favor by actually cooking a real meal for Emma and her.

"What time do you want to have dinner?"

"You can just eat whenever you want." Emma was distracted by all the domestic conversation. She had things to do before it got dark out. She wasn't used to planning her meals; she ate when she was hungry, and didn't eat when she wasn't. She wasn't on some timeline that dictated when it was proper to eat and when it wasn't. That kind of regimented schedule was another thing she had left behind along with the military.

"I thought I would make something for dinner for both of us as a thank you." Great, now Emma felt like an ass. Regina was just trying to do something nice. She was going to have to learn how to interact with Regina without continually trying to find ulterior motives.

"Um, I haven't thought that far ahead." She admitted, shaping her mouth into a small smile as a peace offering.

"Be back by seven then."

Emma didn't answer either yes or no she just hurried out of her house. She needed to get away and think for a while. She had never wanted to be responsible for someone else again, not after Iraq. What the hell was her uncle thinking? Now she had someone in her house, someone who had not only invaded her home but also invaded her thoughts, in the most distracting manner. The brunette woman was incredibly attractive and held a certain appeal; it was rare that such good looks and a quick mind occupied the same body. It was no wonder her Uncle was so concerned about the gorgeous brunette, she was quite intoxicating.

Emma didn't make it back to the house till after seven thirty and she was greeted at the door by a fuming Regina.

"What the hell? I assumed you knew how to tell time since you were in the military. Is your watch just for looks?"

"I lost track of time." Emma looked shell shocked at Regina's sudden verbal onslaught; she really didn't understand what the big deal was. Hell, it was weird enough to come home to a woman in her house and a dinner cooked and ready for her. She felt like she was in some twisted and eerily familiar episode of _The Twilight Zone_ for a moment.

"Well, here is your dinner." Never mind her initial impression and make that a sitcom where she had somehow become the henpecked husband.

"Thanks." Emma muttered, taking her plate into the front room and settling on the couch before turning on the TV.

"Why are you in here when you have a perfectly good table?" Regina had planned on joining her for dinner, she had returned with her own plate to find Emma had vacated the Dining room to curl up on the couch and eat.

"Oh my god, do you ever stop?" It was too much, Regina was asking a lot of her, no, she was assuming too much for her. Her appetite gone, she took her plate into the kitchen and left it on the counter. She didn't really feel like eating anyways.

"You know what I am gonna go take a bath and clean up. If you need something I am sure you will let me know."

"Fine." Regina forced herself to sit and eat the dinner she had prepared, chewing each tasteless bite before swallowing painfully against the tight lump in her throat. It was stupid, but she had really looked forward to sharing a meal with Emma.

Regina waited almost an hour for Emma to reappear before she went in search of the enigmatic blond.

"Emma?" Regina called out, not hearing any noise from upstairs.

"In here." The disembodied voice came from behind a door farther down the hallway.

When Regina walked into the room, she found herself in what looked like the master bathroom. She certainly wasn't expecting to see Emma nonchalantly taking a bath, and not just any bath either, but a full on bubble bath with candles and everything. The small room smelled of patchouli and ylang ylang, with a hint of sandalwood balancing out the mix. Her initial impression of Emma's barbarian status suffered against the entirely unexpected opulence of her bathing regime.

"Did you need something?" Emma asked curiously, she was completely unconcerned that she was practically nude in front of her guest, and really didn't care how it might look. Being in the military can cure a person of modesty really quick. It also made you appreciate a good bath when all you got were 3 minute cold showers out in the field. This little extravagance of hers served another purpose; it calmed her and let her relax for at least an hour everyday. Her shoulder still ached from the shrapnel wounds; in fact, there were still bits of metal left in her even after the surgeries. The doctor's had told her that pieces might be working their way out of her for years.

"Um, I didn't know you were still in the bath, I can come back later."

"No, its ok. What's up?" Emma's question was innocent; she didn't notice the effect she was having on her guest. She did notice that Regina looked like she had forgotten what she had come up to say to her.

"If you are just going to stand there, can I ask you a question?" She let an edge of sarcasm tinge her question, since the brunette seemed to have gone mute for a minute.

"Um, Ok?" Regina was having a hard time concentrating with a very naked and incredibly sexy blonde woman talking to her like it was absolutely nothing.

"Why does my Uncle care about you so much? Are you his girlfriend or something?"

"Good god, no! He is my friend and mentor but that's all, not to mention that he's…well…." Regina's explanation faltered as she took in Emma's blank expression.

"Ah, Emma? Just how good is your Gaydar?" She had to ask, but she really didn't need to hear an answer. Emma's shocked expression and sudden slide under the opaque surface of her bubble bath told her everything she needed to know.

"Um, I think I should just leave now" Regina said with as much mustered confidence as she could pull off. As she retreated, she cursed at herself for her straightforward manner. She seriously doubted if she would enjoy seeing Emma soaking in a hot bubble bath again. Ah well, she sighed, it's a good thing she had an excellent memory.

Emma sat there for a moment, replaying their conversation in her head. Jesus, she was such an idiot. She was so sure that her Uncles interest in Regina's safety was more then just business that she had ignored the subtle signs of interest from the stunning brunette. Regina was not only stunning, she was also incredibly astute. Emma had the worst Gaydar ever. Then another thought hit her. Shit, what if Regina didn't know she was gay, she seemed to assume so, but…Maybe she wasn't the only one with bad Gaydar, as she put it.

Climbing out of the bath, she dried off quickly and threw her robe on. Padding out into the living room, she found Regina there, looking over the books lining the bookcase on the far wall. She had found the liquor cabinet and had poured herself a healthy snifter of brandy.

As she stood there, examining the deep gold red tones of the liquor twirling idly in the bottom of her glass, Regina caught the subtle scent of patchouli and sandalwood. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled deeply, the two essential oils carrying a specific hint of flavor that Emma's skin had added to the heady aroma, making the scent uniquely hers. It was more intoxicating to her then the brandy burning deep in her belly.

Regina turned when Emma entered the room, her expression guarded as she leveled her gaze at Emma over the edge of the crystal snifter. Emma watched silently as she drank deeply of the red-gold liquid. She seemed upset and Emma didn't know why, but she tried to fix it anyways.

"Look, Regina, I didn't know….I wouldn't presume that you were….hell, I…." Regina stopped Emma's rambling speech with one word.

"Don't." Emma stopped, confusion etched on her face as Regina put down her glass and walked, no stalked toward her, invading her personal space.

She tried again to apologize, her throat suddenly dry and parched as she attempted to speak.

"I said, don't…don't speak, don't make apologies, and certainly don't assume anything about me that I don't tell you myself." Regina's voice mesmerized Emma; she stood mute in front of the smaller woman, surprised at how she had taken command of the situation.

"Regina, please…..you don't want this, you don't want me, not the way I am now…" Emma was practically pleading with her, begging her to stop whatever this was that was happening between them. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest, the blood rushing through her temples a steady drum beat in her head. It was primal, primitive in its rhythm and it made her painfully aware that Regina was standing only a scant few inches away from her. She closed her eyes and swayed a bit at the intoxicating sensation of Regina's closeness, all she had to do was bend her head down the least little bit and their lips could meet. She was so caught up in her own fantasy that the edges of reality and wishes blurred when Regina's lips brushed against hers, the sweetness of the kiss enhanced by the subtle flavor of fine brandy. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring into deep brown eyes that held her, captivated her and demanded more from her. She had been standing like stone before Regina, but that look, that look challenged her to take action. A low moan reverberated in her chest, becoming almost a growl as Regina looked up at her and smiled. It was a knowing smile that Emma recognized as one of victory, Regina thought she had captured her, found her weakness and exploited it. She felt the thunder in her head roar, deafening her to everything but the sound of Regina breathing, she wanted to hear that sound quicken and go ragged, to gasp and growl and howl against her like a summer storm.

She moved quickly, quick enough to cause Regina to gasp in surprise as she was captured between Emma's lithe body and the wall. Demanding lips found hers, a quick tongue pressing along her teeth until she opened her mouth to the invading muscle. Their tongues fought and slid against each other, each seeking dominance over the other. It was no gentle kiss, this bruising clash of lips on lips. Regina brought her hands up to caress Emma's muscled shoulder's only to have her hands captured in the taller woman's grasp, their interlocked finger's leaving her no choice but to let the stronger woman push her hands up against the wall, holding her captive as Emma suddenly pulled herself away from Regina. Emma's green eyes were dark with passion, the ink black pools of her pupils overtaking the lighter green until it there was just a halo of color remaining. Both women were breathing hard, the sound loud in the otherwise quiet room.

"Christ, Regina…..what you do to me…" And then she was gone, the enigmatic statement drifting down through the blood red haze of arousal surrounding Regina's soul.

A/N: I am gonna hold chapter 3 hostage for reviews LOL if you want to know what happens next remember to review so we know you are interested. Just kidding, or maybe not


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: alright folks general disclaimers apply. We don't own OUaT

We do however own any original plot and storyline.

We would like to say thank you for the great reviews.

I hope you enjoy this next installment. It's slow going for these ladies but be assured we will be getting to sexy times soon.

Chapter 3

Regina sat downstairs for another two hours after Emma ran away from their intense kiss. She didn't know how else to explain it, she was there and then she was gone. A mild sense of guilt was swirling around her stomach; the sour feeling mixing with her third brandy and making her feel slightly queasy. She shouldn't have tried to seduce Golds niece. But the other woman was so damn beautiful she couldn't resist her. She sat there nursing her brandy trying to figure out how she could get through to Emma. She seemed so emotionally damaged, and she thought about what Gold had told her. Something had happened when she was in the service, something that made her retreat here, something that made her extremely untrusting of other people. Remembering the haunted expression on her face, she closed her eyes, trying to recover every nuance of the conversation that had led up to that one incredible, breathtaking kiss.

"_Regina, please…..you don't want this, you don't want me, not the way I am now…"_

Regina remembered hearing Emma say that thru the haze of lust that had taken over her mind and body. She sipped her drink and tried to figure out the mystery that was Emma Swan. The liquor burning her throat and clouding her judgment offered her a simple explanation. And it was very simple, regardless of Emma's denial she did want her and she wanted her just the way she was.

Her trip upstairs was a trial that required all of her inebriated concentration, she had drank more then she thought and her legs were fighting her attempts at a straight shot into her new bedroom. She noticed that Emma's door was left open and she stopped to peak in on her. She leaned heavily on the door, unsure of her ability to stay upright and in one place without tipping. The sound of soft, even breathing told her that the other woman was asleep.

She managed to change into her new silk pajamas before falling into the welcoming bed. Being horizontal was so much easier then standing; although she wished the room would stop spinning wildly around her. Burying herself deep under the heavy comforter, she fell asleep instantly.

XXX

It felt like no sooner her head had hit the pillow and she was awakened by very loud rock music blasting thru the house. Shooting straight up in the bed, she felt a bolt of pain lancing through her temples. Shit, why the hell did she drink so much last night? It was so unlike her.

"What the hell?" Looking at the time she saw it was only three in the morning. What the hell was Emma doing up at three in the morning? Following the music down the stairs, she found another stairwell heading into a basement. Descending the heavy wooden stairs, she found the source of the music and the blond herself. She was beating the hell out of heavyweight bag. _She must have taken kickboxing somewhere. _ The odd thought surfaced above the throbbing pain starting to beat against her temples with every angry heartbeat. If it weren't for that, she could have appreciated the cut muscles layering her back and shoulder's, the muscles flexing and rippling across the smooth skin. Her eye's settled on a patch of skin along her shoulder that interrupted the smooth surface of her back. A spider web network of scars lay white against her tan skin, the flesh looked hard edged and puckered in a few places just above the edge of her tank top. It didn't seem to stop her quick movements as she continued to slam her fists and feet into the bag. It was a horrid looking scar, and Regina wondered how far the injury extended. A sudden surge of anger that something had caused Emma that much pain and suffering flooded her senses, sending her headache into overdrive as the throbbing in her temples sent waves of nausea through her. Stomping over to the stereo she abruptly turned it off just as Emma twisted and swung her body towards her direction so quick it was almost a blur.

XXX

Emma had woken up from the overly familiar nightmare covered in sweat, her heart pounded painfully against her chest wall as she tried to make herself breath. The nightmare still held her captive, she was sure that every breath would bring acrid smoke into her lungs, and they burned in memory of the heat and fire that almost consumed her. She blinked rapidly, trying to erase the images of torn flesh and hot metal around her, the smell of burning gas and the taste of her own flesh searing as a dozen pinpoints of pain exploded through her shoulder, rendering her left arm useless. She could hear cries for help that she couldn't answer as she crawled away awkwardly from the burning Humvee, the blaze was a beacon of light that would attract attention from both sides and she moved automatically away from the vulnerable position. It took an incredible effort to force the next few minutes away, she had relieved this moment in her life way to many times, it always ended the same way. At least this time she didn't wake up screaming.

Dammit, she knew she should have fought her uncle harder about leaving Regina here. She hadn't had The Nightmare this bad in over a month, she was actually hoping it was going away but now it seems that the other woman's presence had made it surface again, with a vengeance. She hadn't wanted to be responsible for anyone ever again. The last time hadn't gone well and she had watched as her soldier's had died because she couldn't get some dumb ass pencil pusher to understand that they needed a heavier escort to move their "guests" from behind enemy lines. For once she wasn't moving prisoner's, the woman and children hidden in their transport vehicles were family members of high ranking officials who had braved fighting a common enemy. A small group of men hidden beneath woman's burqah's made the next check point stop their last as they suddenly attacked the small convoy. They went after the transport vehicle first, tossing a backpack into the back of the vehicle that sent the heavy vehicle jumping into the air as the explosion boomed around them, a fireball lighting the darkened sky as Emma's world slowed down to a crawl. She watched as the burning vehicle descended back to the ground in slow motion, until reality sped up to painfully pull her into a world of loud booms and gunfire that failed to deafen her ears to the screams and cry's for help around her. Emma had ended up with shrapnel wounds and the loss of her best friend. Someone she cared for that she had to hold in her arms while she bled out into the night, her own cries for help unheard against the burning agony in her lungs. She had passed out soon after, and remembered nothing until waking up at the Fleet Hospital Unit. She was patched up and sent on her way with a medical discharge and a diagnosis of PTSD. She did the only thing she could think of doing, she went home.

Throwing back her sweat soaked sheets she knew she wouldn't get back to sleep tonight. She never could after that particular dream, she knew from experience that if she went back to sleep the dream would start where it had left off. The nightmare always followed her to the end, unless she didn't sleep. That sounded like a good option right now. She had to do something, anything to get the nightmare out of her head. Slipping into a pair of sweat pants and racer back tank top, she grabbed her gloves and foot pads and went down to the basement where she had set up a gym. She cranked up the stereo after slipping in an appropriate CD for her mood. Three Days Grace blasted out of the stereo at an appropriate decibel level to drown out the sounds of gunfire playing in her head as she started punching and kicking the heavy bag that was hanging from a heavy beam in the ceiling. She was really getting into the groove of it, her punches and kicks hitting the heavy canvas with a steady rhythm as she changed up the combinations instinctively, her eyes focused on some inner vision as she took her pent up emotions out on the inanimate bag. She spun around suddenly, her hands up in a defensive posture when she heard a soft step behind her followed by absolute silence as her music was turned off, not just down but off. Regina was standing in the doorway, her finger still on the off button, wearing nothing but a very short, silk like pajama set that would have gotten Emma's attention if she hadn't been so pissed at the interruption. She wasn't really in a very good place right now, and she definitely wasn't in the mood for Regina's word games.

"What the hell Regina, you have no right!" Emma yelled.

"Is it really necessary to play it that loud? And at three in the morning?" Regina maintained her calm in the face of the other woman's anger; she had woken to a raging hangover and an overwhelming need for quiet. The loud music had travelled up the stairs and beat against her tender skull, and she had gone looking for the source. Despite her headache and the painful echo of the music mimicking the pain in her temples, she had stood for a moment to watch Emma beat the living daylights out of the bag hanging in the middle of the room. She almost left, it was obvious that Emma knew what she was doing and she wasn't sure if she should interrupt her after seeing the power and skill the blond exhibited against the heavy bag. She had to admit, it scared her a bit to see another woman so casually violent. She had had a taste of Emma's strength earlier tonight, but after seeing the damaging blows she was capable of, she realized that Emma had exhibited admirable restraint. Emma stood in the middle of the room, her chest heaving from her workout, she was covered in sweat and her face was red more from anger at being interrupted then from exertion.

"Yes, it was necessary. Now turn it back on and get the hell out of here." Emma couldn't help it, she really didn't want to be mean to the other woman but she felt the line between reality and nightmare was still too tenuous. She felt wound up as tight as a drum, and she couldn't trust herself around the enticing brunette right now. Her body demanded release from the emotional overload the nightmare had left behind. There was more then one way to gain that release, and she didn't want Regina to be pulled into her mess of a life. In her present state of mind, she was too tempted to finish what they had started earlier, but that would be using Regina for her own ends, and she couldn't do her job if that happened. The stubborn brunette didn't leave, however, and her next words sent Emma into a tale spin. It was as if she had somehow caught her thoughts since they mirrored them so patently.

"Emma is this because of me, because of what happened earlier?" She slowly approached the other woman and laid a tentative hand on Emma's arm. Emma's smooth skin was damp with exertion, the firm muscles underneath jumping beneath her soft touch. She was soaked, her skin hot beneath her touch. _She wasn't in here that long to get so sweaty. _Regina wanted to know what had gotten Emma so worked up.

"Yes, but not for the reason you think." Emma said, refusing to meet Regina's eyes.

"Since you don't know what I think, why don't you tell me what's bothering you."

"I can't talk about it." The distant look in Emma's eyes disturbed Regina; she looked so far away, like she was watching something behind Regina that she couldn't see. She didn't seem like she was fully there, in the room with her. Emma blinked and Regina watched as pain and loss, then conflict and anger shuttered across those incredible green eyes, another blink and there was nothing. It was an incredible display of self control as Emma clamped down on her emotions as suddenly as a door closing; she looked at Regina calmly before speaking again.

"Can you turn my music back on and give me some space? I'll turn it down so you can sleep…..there's no reason we should both have to be awake."

"Ok. But just one thing before I go. Do you regret the kiss?" Regina was rewarded with a subtle tell as Emma inhaled quickly in surprise at the unexpected question. She shook her blonde mane in response, the sweat dampened hair moving sluggishly against her sharp movement.

"No, but it shouldn't happen again."

Regina left Emma in peace, the stereo thumping in the background at a more reasonable level that became gratefully muffled as she climbed the stairs back to the main house. Her head still throbbed painfully from the brandy and she sought out a bottle of water and some aspirin before falling back into her bed. She could feel the beat of the music travelling through the mattress of her bed, but there was no sound accompanying the mild vibration. As she fell back into blissful sleep where her pounding headache could be ignored, she focused her last coherent thought on what Emma had said. _She said shouldn't, not_ _won't happen again_.

When Regina woke up again it was nine am. _Wow,_ _I haven't slept this late in ages_. Regina smiled, it was nice to not have to get up and go through the hectic pace of getting to work, at least for a little while. She was doubly thrilled by the fact that sunshine was streaming through her window without causing her eyes undo pain. The promise of a beautiful day and no lingering hangover was a grand combination. Glancing over at the small table where she had left her new cell phone she saw a note tucked under it.

_Regina,_

_I programmed my cell number into your phone if you need me, text or call._

_I have my phone on me._

_Stay in the immediate area of the house and barn._

_Have a good day._

_Emma_

Frowning, Regina realized the blond must have escaped the house as soon as it was light out. It was nice that Emma was concerned, but did she have to treat her like a child and tell her to stay by the house. Quickly changing into some jeans and a new button down shirt that was a vast improvement over the t-shirts Gold had bought her, Regina went down to look for Emma in the barn. Walking down the empty aisle way, she popped her head into the tack room and saw that Emma's saddle was missing. She must have gone out on Casper like she did yesterday; it must be a routine she held to pretty strictly. Remembering that she had said she had two horses, she considered asking Emma to take her riding tomorrow. That would be nice, she hadn't been on a horse in years, but she did know how to ride. Probably better then Emma knew, she thought. She probably didn't know she could ride at all. She thought about the possibilities of keeping that knowledge a temporary secret, it could actually be quiet fun.

Heading back up to the house, Regina decided breakfast would be a good idea_. I wonder if Emma ate this morning. _ Gold had asked her to take care of his niece and that's what she would do, the woman didn't eat enough or often enough. She laughed at herself, Gold had nothing to do with it, she would make breakfast for the both of them because she wanted to.

_Jeez, I have only known her, for what, almost a whole day? Why_ _should I care? _Regina didn't want to keep self analyzing herself, but her mind rebelled against her, forcing her to review the last twenty four hours analytically. She had no logical explanation for her behavior, or her budding interest in protecting the woman who was supposed to be protecting her. _ But, I do._ She shied away from continuing that line of thought, at least for now. Now, it was time to make some breakfast and maybe explore the land around her. At least it was something tangible to focus on, rather than the fact that she was in hiding because of a stalker.

Pulling out her phone she pulled up Emma's contact info and sent a quick text about breakfast. She didn't wait for a reply; she figured Emma was busy doing something out there. Regina started making a full breakfast, bacon, eggs, the works. It was nice having the time to do this; in fact, she rarely had the inclination to make such an extensive breakfast. It always seemed too much work for just one person.

When the phone buzzed, she grabbed up the phone to read Emma's return text. Her happy morning fizzled as she read the text, a frown forming at Emma's negative reply.

_*Come in for breakfast or I will come find you* _Regina texted back, her lips forming a thin line as she waited impatiently for the next text.

_*Fine.* _the single word reply was read with Emma's stubborn voice echoing in her mind. Regina swore she could hear an exasperated sigh tacked to the end of the message.

Emma had actually been pretty close to the house when the text came through. She hadn't gone far today, just enough to check the fence lines and make sure no one had tramped onto the property in the night. It was her job to protect Regina, and that's exactly what she would do.

She quickly untacked Pistol and led him into his paddock before stomping into the house. The black horse whinnied at his pasture buddy happily, snorting a greeting as he trotted off to join the Palomino at the round bale of hay set up in the far corner. Casper looked up as Pistol jogged up to the bale, shifting his position so that his hind end blocked the black horse from getting to the bale. A mock argument ensued, with both horses shaking their heads at each other before settling down to eat in peace together. Emma sighed; it was so much easier just being a horse.

The phone was supposed to be for important communication, not to tell her to come to breakfast. That Regina felt she could blackmail her into being sociable did not sit well with her. Emma was not happy about being ordered around on her own farm.

"Regina." She greeted the brunette coldly, her irritation still chafing at her already short temper. She had never made it back to bed; instead she had stayed up till daybreak and then headed out at soon as it was safe for the horse to ride along the barely marked trails.

"Good morning, Emma. Did you have a pleasant ride?" Regina would get through to Emma one way of the other. This morning it was by being exceedingly pleasant even if Emma was trying her best to be the opposite.

"Yes, it was a nice morning." Emma sat down at her seldom used kitchen table. Regina had place settings for two, and she had to admit over the obvious growling going on in her stomach that the food smelled delicious

"Please, wash your hands." Regina requested as she sat a plate of hot food in front of Emma.

"Why?" Emma looked at her hands, they weren't that dirty.

"It's hygienic and proper." Regina's promise to be pleasant was starting to fall apart on her.

"You're at the wrong place if you think I worry about proper." Emma snorted, picking up a piece of bacon and biting into it before it was snatched suddenly out of her hand.

"Emma Swan, go wash your hands now." Good Lord, what was she doing, she sounded like her mother. She so did not want Emma looking at her like a mother figure.

"I have had worse on my hands and not been able to wash them before eating. Do you think we had time to wash our hands every time we would eat while out on patrol? No, my buddies and I would have dirt caked on our hands and who knows what else and you know what, it didn't matter!" Emma's voice was getting louder as she kept talking, until she was practically shouting.

"This is just horse sweat and dirt at least." Emma finished, her voice quieting down when she realized she was yelling, the chair scraping against the wood floor as she half stood up to leave.

"Your right, please, enjoy your breakfast." Regina knew from last night if she kept pushing the younger woman she just would leave her meal and walk away.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Regina cleared her throat. She waited for Emma to finish sipping her orange juice before speaking.

"Emma, do you have a computer I can use? I want to get a hold of some old files from when I was a prosecutor."

"Yea, I will get it before I head back out."

"What are you going to be doing today?"

"I will go out and jog the trails again to make sure there are no unexpected tracks. I will check the fence lines and make sure they are still up and intact. We still keep cattle in the fields that the neighbor doesn't rent out to plant crops. I do it everyday, either on horse back or running. Sometimes both." Emma finished with a shrug. That was more explanation then Regina had gotten since she arrived.

"Can I come? It would be nice to see more of your farm." Regina smiled at Emma. Maybe if she was outdoors with the blond she would relax more.

"I thought you wanted to get some files from the computer?" Emma asked.

"I do, but it can wait until tonight, it is really nice outside." Regina wasn't about to let Emma slip out of the house without her again. Besides, the files weren't exactly light reading; they were best left for a time when there was nothing else to distract her.

"Sure, but if you get tired let me know. It's about a five mile loop or so." Emma warned her, wondering how fit the brunette could be living in the city. From what she had seen, she seemed to at least hit the gym; her trim body had to have a way to fight all this food she kept preparing.

"That's a lot of land. I'm sure I can manage." Regina jogged every other day in Boston, she had no doubt she could keep up with Emma.

"Yeah, this farm has been in the family for years. My granddad worked hard to make sure we never had to sell off any of it." Emma's eyes lit up as she spoke of her beloved farm.

Regina enjoyed seeing that light bring out the gold flecks in Emma's green eyes. She seemed more approachable, almost happy when she spoke of her parent's farm.

"Why did the farm go to your dad instead of Gold?"

"It got passed down to my dad because he wanted to stay here and my uncle had dreams of the big city. Grandpa knew that my dad would never deny his brother access to it so it wasn't a big deal."

"Your uncle said you were upset about the farm going to him when your parents died, that you were upset you couldn't take ownership until you came of age. He said that's why you joined the army."

"My uncle talks too much. That was family business and it's in the past." Emma responded in a flat voice.

Regina regretted her curiosity driven inquiry instantly when that tenuous spark flared then went out, dulling those bright green eyes as Emma shut her out, again.

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	4. Chapter 4

A/N: We do not own OUaT or its characters, we do retain rights to any original concepts, storyline and plot.

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Chapter 4

Regina had to work on concentrating where her feet fell as she followed Emma down the thin dirt path that ran alongside a long wooden fence. Emma had set a brisk pace that surprised Regina and made her rethink her earlier assumption that she could keep up with the blond woman. When Emma had said she went out for a run she meant she went out for a RUN. Regina didn't mind the view though, since she had to sprint to keep up with Emma she had a great view of the woman from behind. Between Emma, the amazingly beautiful landscape and the difficult trail, it was no wonder she was having a hard time concentrating let alone keeping up. There were no flat runs on the trail, it was either up or down, and both required more from her leg muscles then she was used to running along on the relatively flat streets of Boston. And while she was used to avoiding the occasional idiot driver, those reflexes were useless when she encountered the first deer jumping suddenly in front of their path, only to bound away into the woods and disappear as quickly as it appeared. She screamed and almost sprained her ankle the first time, the second deer only received a surprised squeak, and after that she ignored the red brown animals as they passed them on the trail. Evidently it was only fun to play jump in front of the city slicker until she stopped screaming. After that, they ignored her and she ignored them.

"Emma, can we slow down? I'm not used to going this fast." Regina finally had to concede her jogs in Boston were nothing compared to trail running with the blond.

"Sure." Emma slowed to a walk and then turned around to see that Regina was having problems catching her breath. She had been in her zone, her legs pumping against the burn of running through the hills, the difficult terrain made it challenging to watch the trail beneath and in front of her while she scanned the terrain for anything out of the ordinary. So far, she had only seen animal tracks mar the surface of the trail. She hadn't seen any human tracks, which was normal for this time of year, she usually only discovered the occasional trespasser in the fall and winter when hunting season was in full swing. The locals knew better, but there were always one or two yahoo's, who ignored the no trespassing signs to try and hunt on her property.

"Let's take a break." Emma offered, veering left onto a wider path that turned west and back towards the house. It was one of her horse paths and was wider and less tasking then the deer like trail she had chosen this morning.

"You should have said something sooner." She wasn't admonishing the brunette; she just didn't want her to over do it on her first day.

"Its ok, I just need to walk for a little bit." Regina was trying like hell to not sound like she was totally winded, but she couldn't quite ignore the sharp stabbing pain of the stitch in her side that flared with every breath she took.

"This is a lot different than Boston." She wasn't just talking about the jogging difficulty, the land was beautiful, so green and lush under the canopy of trees. It was a far cry from the manicured city trails and constant noise. She usually ran with earbuds in, but here there was too much nature to absorb to need the distraction of music. She noticed that Emma didn't play music during her runs either.

"I'm sure it is. Let's go ahead and start walking back." Emma flashed a quick look at Regina before scanning her surroundings again. The forest had suddenly opened up into a large pasture that crowned the hilltop they were walking along. The tree line rose along and below the horizon line, creating a leafy green border that stood dark against the bright sunshine lighting the open fields.

"It's beautiful here." Regina was trying to make conversation with the quiet blond. She was squinting against the sudden brightness of the sun as it beat down on her shoulders and head. It was considerably warmer now, and she made a mental note to add a running cap to her list of things she may need while she was there. Emma had worn one herself, and her eyes now lay hidden beneath the shade of the brim.

"Yeah, I have always thought so." Emma smiled in response to Regina's comment. She looked peaceful and relaxed, the light sheen of perspiration the only evidence that she had just ran the last few miles at what Regina could only call a punishing pace. She didn't look the least bit winded; in fact she looked like she could go several more miles before even thinking about being tired.

"Can I ask you a question?" They had been walking in quiet for a few minutes, just enjoying the walk and at least for Regina, each other's company.

"Have, I been able to stop you yet?" The rhetorical question came out sarcastic, but Emma was actually curious about what Regina wanted to know. This was a new thing, she really hadn't been curious about anything in a very long time. It was easier to simply exist day to day without thinking about anything too much. Regina had placed demands on her to engage more with the outside world, partially because she had brought the outside world crashing down into her private little refuge.

"Good point. Ok then, and please don't be upset if you don't want to answer its ok." Regina began nervously.

"Regina just spit it out. The foreplay is getting tedious."

"Ok, what had you up so early this morning, I mean it was obvious something was bothering you." Regina got out in a rush. The three am wake up call was something she would rather not repeat, not just because her sleep was interrupted but also because it was obvious that Emma was fighting through something that disturbed her and kept her up all night.

"Just memories. Memories best forgotten." Emma's response sounded stiff, the words bitten off sharply.

"What type of memories?"

"Bad ones." Regina glanced up at her companion, noting the clenched teeth that were forced to relax against the muscles that stood out along her jaw line.

"Let's just drop it ok?" It was Emma's fault, she had given Regina permission to ask her question, and of course she would want to know why she was up at three in the morning beating the crap out of her punching bag. She was just glad that she hadn't broached the real elephant in the closet. She wasn't ready to discuss what had happened earlier that night. She could barely process what she could only describe as a sexual collision between Regina and her. She could understand Regina's reaction; she was under a lot of stress and was feeling vulnerable, at risk. Those emotions had fueled more then one irrational coupling; she had seen it many times over when she was in the service. Knowing your life was in danger each and every day made you grasp at everything life had to offer while you had a chance. She tried to simplify her own actions; she had thought Regina was straight until she found out otherwise. Of course, being naked in a hot bath is not the time to find out from a beautiful and quite available woman standing in front of her that she was very much mistaken about that assumption. She had been alone and living like a hermit for the last two years, Regina was making it a bad habit to wake up _things_ in her. Emma was learning quickly that there was a big difference between living and feeling alive again.

Regina noticed they were taking a different route back to the farmhouse, since she certainly hadn't passed through so much pasture land on the way out. She had seen some cows earlier, but now she recognized the silhouettes emerging from the pasture in front of them as horses, not cows. As they advanced down the trail, she was able to discern color. There were two horses, one pale and the other dark, like a shadow following the lighter horse as they moved in unison, their heads down as they grazed on the lush grass.

"Is that Casper?" she recognized the pale horse but not the black one standing a few feet away from its pasture buddy.

"Yeah, the other one is Pistol. Don't tell Casper, but Pistol is actually my favorite." Emma whispered like it might actually hurt the other horse's feelings. That made Regina laugh a little.

"Ok, it will be our secret." She whispered back, enjoying the playful nature of their conversation, she was secretly thrilled to see Emma's lighter side more.

Emma stopped at the fence and called to her boys, making them lift their heads and come trotting over eagerly.

"Come meet my two gentlemen." Emma waved Regina over to the fence where the two geldings were hanging their heads over, rolling their eyes at each other in jealousy as they tried to keep Emma's attention all to themselves.

"This is Pistol and you met Casper yesterday." She said, stepping aside so Regina could pet them. She was surprised when Casper, the less dominate gelding actually pushed Pistol out of the way to get to Regina. Pistol gave way easily and went over to Emma instead. He really was a laid back boy, but he was so much taller than Casper and had been gelded much later in life so that he gave people pause. He was very muscular, with the thick neck and heavy mane of a stallion. Combined with the solid black coat and you had a very impressive looking horse that tended to make people nervous, unless you knew him well since he didn't look as friendly as he actually was. Stroking the velvety black muzzle, she smiled as he half closed his eyes in relaxed ecstasy. He was so easy, such a pushover really, and he was her favorite and most loyal friend.

"It looks like you made a friend." She said to Regina when she looked up and found Casper pretty much in the same pose, his pale cinnamon eyelashes drooping as Regina found a particularly itchy spot between his ears. She thought it was funny to watch the other woman cooing over him, but was delighted that Regina didn't exhibit any of the fear she had seen in others. Horses were big animals, and it was easy to be intimidated by their sheer size.

"He's beautiful." Regina was lightly stroking his nose, bringing her open palms down in front of his inquisitive nostrils so he could sniff at her, letting him get her scent. "They both are."

"Yes they are, I have had them from since they were yearlings. I had thought of breeding Pistol here, but then I decided against it so I had him gelded."

"How long have you had them?" Regina was curious.

"Twelve years." Regina did the math; Emma had been in the service for almost six years, so she had a good three years with the magnificent creatures before having to leave them and the farm. It must have been terribly difficult to make that decision.

"Who took care of them when you were in the army?" She was curious since she was obviously gone for quite a while and they were so well mannered.

"The sheriff in town helped, and an old high school friend would alternate days with him. My uncle set it up for me. I really missed them while I was gone. I would come home every time I had leave so I could spend time with them." Emma hadn't planned on being gone from home for so long, she had joined up for a three year tour that rapidly turned into eight when she was told that she would have to extend her tour due to the ongoing war. That eight devolved into six when she got hurt. She had learned to be very careful about what you wished for after that. She had wanted nothing more than to go home.

Emma's face had gone pensive, a look Regina was coming to recognize whenever Emma stopped talking but kept thinking.

Watching how lovingly Emma was stroking Pistols face as she spoke, she knew Emma was talking more about her horses then her friends. She really wondered what had happened to this young woman to make her retreat from society so thoroughly. Regina knew the only memories you had that woke you up at three in the morning and required you to work out as violently as Emma had been, were nightmares you couldn't escape or ignore. Regina's job had put her in contact with some of the most violent offenders this country had to offer, so she understood nightmares. It was hard not to be affected by the stories, the photo's, and bloody evidence of the casual cruelty that one human being could mete out to another. She had no regrets prosecuting each and every one of them, it was only the ones that had gotten away with it, who used the system to escape justice, which really upset her and eventually led to her leaving the Prosecutor's office.

"Can I ride with you tomorrow morning?" Regina finally asked, wanting to break out of the morose mood they had fallen into.

"Do you know how to ride?" Regina didn't take offense at the question. Emma had asked the question sincerely. Besides, it was a fair question, the boys were special to her and Regina was practically a stranger.

"It's been a few years, but yes, I can ride."

"Alright, I don't see any reason you shouldn't see more of the farm since you could be here for awhile." Emma gestured at the horse that was currently lipping at Regina's hair.

"I guess you get to ride Casper since he chose you."

"Thank you." Regina moved up and took Emma's hand, looking directly into her green eyes in gratitude before the other woman looked away.

"Um, sure, no problem." Emma took a step away, putting distance between them and extricated her hand from Regina's.

"Since you will be riding him, you can help with his feed and stuff." Emma said awkwardly.

"Sounds fair." Regina murmured, still feeling the sting of Emma's physical and mental withdrawal. The woman was as skittish as a young colt.

"Hey, what do you want for dinner tonight?" Regina asked as they were finally walking up to the house.

"It doesn't really matter. You do know that you don't have to keep cooking for me." Emma couldn't figure out why Regina seemed so intent on taking care of her. They had only just met really, and half the time they were sniping at each other.

"I know, but I really like to cook when I can and it's nice to have an excuse to do so. It is hard to motivate to cook for just myself all the time."

"So, you didn't leave anyone in Boston?"

"No, my career has kept me pretty busy; I haven't had the time to consider getting into a relationship with anyone." Regina didn't mention that there just wasn't anyone in Boston that seemed to hold her attention for more than two dates so she had thrown herself into work.

_ But I do now_. Regina pushed that unbidden thought down, way down as deep as she could push it. This was not the time and place to think about relationships, or woman with long blond hair that knew how to kiss her silly. Regina shook her head, pushing the thought away didn't work as well as she had hoped. She would just have to resign herself to the fact that she found Emma distractingly attractive and available. Actually, that was an assumption. Oh, crap.

"So, what about you Emma, is there anyone special in your life?" She asked as nonchalantly as possible, letting her eyes slide sideways toward her walking companion to watch her reaction surreptitiously. Emma's long stride faltered long enough to let Regina outpace her for a second, her face flashing shock at first, but quickly falling into a bemused expression.

"No, there hasn't been anyone in a long time."

Emma was feeling relieved that she hadn't kissed someone else's woman. She didn't want to examine the deeper feelings that the thought of Regina being single created, not just yet. She was supposed to be protecting the brunette lawyer, not worrying about her relationship status. So, when Regina inquired about her own love life, she had derailed Emma's thoughts and switched them onto an entirely different track. The train on that track was threatening to run away with her heart, and she wasn't sure how to stop it.

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As they headed up the stairs, Emma was struck by how natural it seemed that the two of them were walking into the old farmhouse together. She half expected Regina to follow her into her room, and was oddly disappointed when the other woman continued down the hall to her own room instead. The sound of the shower running reminded her that she needed one as well. She would have to wait until Regina was done and then wait a while longer for the water heater to catch up; since the old pipes just wouldn't hold up to two showers at the same time.

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"Emma!?" she heard Regina call out from her room, her voice sharp and edged with panic. Acting instinctively, Emma rushed into the other woman's room, expecting trouble but only finding the brunette woman standing in front of her mirror stripped down to just her panties and bra, her brunette hair looked almost black, it was still wet and slicked back from her shower.

"What, what's wrong?" Emma asked, skidding to a halt just inside the door while simultaneously scanning the room for any signs of danger. Odd, she thought, she didn't see anything out of place. So what the hell is Regina screaming for?

"I have a tick on me." Regina practically screeched, she was also practically dancing around the room in nothing but a matching pair of blue silk and lace panties and bra. Her darkly tan skin contrasted sharply with the deep hue of the underwear, and Emma found it hard to take her words seriously when she was concentrating on Regina's almost naked body. _So this is what she bought at the lingerie store?_ It wasn't like the spandex shorts and tank top she wore running this morning had left much to the imagination, but this was different. Very different, indeed.

"Are you serious? I thought something was seriously wrong." Emma huffed, trying to get her emotions under control.

"There is something wrong. Get it off me." Evidently the ick factor for ticks was high in Regina's world. If she hadn't looked so distressed, Emma would have been tempted to laugh at her.

Emma took Regina back into the bathroom where she grabbed a pair of tweezers so she could remove the offending blood sucker. Like most tick bites, this one had found a nice warm place to set up home. Unfortunately for Emma, that meant she was forced to kneel in front of Regina and pluck the little bugger from her inner thigh. She was painfully aware of how close her steadying hands were to the silk underwear, not to mention that her eyes sat along the same plane. The smooth flesh beneath her trembling fingers was hot to the touch, and Emma found herself having to practice the same breathing exercises she used to steady her hand before pulling off a shot with her rifle. Inhale, exhale, hold your breath and go for it. She quickly pulled the tick out, the offending insect hanging on for dear life before releasing its hold on Regina's flawless skin. She inspected it carefully to make sure the head was intact, before tossing it in the toilet and flushing. She dabbed the bite with antiseptic before attempting to get up from the cold floor. Her muscles had cramped up from the run and the awkward position, and she gratefully took Regina's offered hand to help her up. She hadn't meant to grab at Regina's scantily clad hip, really she hadn't, but her left foot had gone painfully numb from lactic acid buildup, making her awkward and off balance.

_Holy shit, she feels good_. The brunette was lightly muscled like she did yoga or Pilates regularly; her thighs were nicely muscled showing definition from daily jogging. She was nothing like Emma, who was all hard muscle and definition. Regina was soft where Emma was hard; it would make a good combination in bed. Emma tried to tamp down that thought immediately, pulling her hand away from the enticing combination of smooth skin and cool silk that nonetheless felt like pure fire beneath her reticent palm.

"There you go, all gone. You should be ok, it wasn't in there long enough to make you sick, but we'll keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get inflamed."

"My hero." Regina had seen the heat flaring in Emma's eyes. The spot where Emma's fingers had touched her, where her hand had rested for a moment before she snatched it away, those places tingled like her skin was more awake there. She moved into the blond's personal space, placing a delicate hand on her chest. She leaned up and lightly kissed those pink lips before she could change her mind, before she tried to convince herself it was a bad idea. She pulled back from that subtle meeting of lips on lips before she could get carried away and quickly left the room to finish getting dressed. She was sure she could feel those enticing green eyes staring at her ass as she walked away. Glancing back once, the sensation of eyes watching her intently was confirmed. Emma's eyes were definitely glued to her backside, her expression openly hungry enough to make Regina wish she would follow her into her room and make the decision for both of them. Instead, Emma turned and went out the hallway entrance to the bathroom, leaving her alone and wanting.

Regina sighed, she would try and go slow but since she found out the other woman wasn't immune to her it was difficult to not take the lead. Her instincts and experience told her that it was Emma that would have to make the first move. There was more then just hesitance keeping her away, Emma was somehow scared at the idea of becoming involved with her. Emma Swan was a mystery that she wanted to solve.

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Dinner that night was a simple affair of cheese burgers with sautéed mushrooms and onions. Emma even joined her at the table to eat. They had made quick work earlier of taking care of the two horses. After feeding, watering and giving them a quick brushing down, Regina ran up to the bathroom to clean up again before starting on dinner. She was pleasantly surprised that Emma had at least washed her hands even if she hadn't bathed yet. Baby steps, she reminded herself. The younger woman smelled like horses and sunshine and the sweet smell of summer grass, and Regina found that it wasn't really an unpleasant scent after all. It was just Emma.

After dinner she curled up with a book in what she discovered was a very comfortable recliner. She was surprised that the woman of few words had such a wonderful book collection, including a lot of the classics. Evidently, the enigmatic woman's tastes ran to the eclectic and after perusing the bookcases, she even found criminal justice and legal texts mixed in with various other equally tedious subject matters. Emma was stretched out on the couch, flipping thru the TV channels before she finally settled on a music video station. When a video came on that flashed anything violent or held clips of war scenes she quickly flipped to another station for a few minutes. Regina had sat quietly, observing Emma's reactions, but chose to hold her tongue. She knew that the quiet woman had been through something nasty over seas, and she was hoping if she was patient enough, Emma would eventually confide in her. They sat in comfortable silence for several hours until Regina's vision started to blur between jaw cracking yawns. Looking at the time, Regina realized she had been reading for several hours. It had been a lovely day, despite picking up a tick, but she had to get some sleep.

"What time do you feed the horses in the morning?" Regina asked after the third uncontrollable yawn, she didn't want to shirk her duty by not getting up in time tomorrow morning.

"Around seven."

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"I'm going to head to bed then; I don't want to be to tired for tomorrow morning." She was excited, it would be the first time she had been on a horse in ten years and she couldn't wait.

"Ok" Emma didn't move from where she was planted on the couch, absently staring at the TV screen. There was some movie on that Emma didn't really seem to be into, but it was the only thing on at the time that wasn't violent, and she seemed to avoid the news altogether.

"Have a good night then." Regina was a little confused, shouldn't Emma be going to bed to? She had been up way longer than Regina.

Emma filed Regina's trip upstairs and location away in a corner of her mind, she always made sure she knew where she was, it was her duty to keep her safe. As to the rest, well, Emma had no intention of going to bed if she could help it. If she didn't sleep she couldn't dream, dreams led to nightmares, and after last night she had no intention of replaying that particular horror movie behind her eyelids tonight. She got up from the couch and wandered into the kitchen where she found her stash of Red Bulls in the fridge before padding quietly back into the living room. She settled onto the couch, caffeine in one hand and her remote in the other, she was prepared for the long night ahead.

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A/N: thank you all for your great reviews, including our secret admirers, my guest reviewers; you know who you all are. As always, please enjoy the read and then let us know how you like it! We enjoy writing for you, and want to know if the feeling is mutual! We managed to negotiate a release of the hostages for this chapter but we will hold future chapter's hostage for reviews. Don't make them suffer


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: We obviously don't own OAaT or the characters of Regina and Emma. We do own any original plot and storyline. **

**Chapter 5**

Regina had set her alarm clock for six thirty so she wouldn't make Emma wait to get outside. When the alarm went off she jumped up, ready to start her day. It was probably a good thing she had found things she needed to do on a daily basis, before she got used to sleeping in. When she got back to Boston, she would have to be ready for early morning court dockets and client appointments. She couldn't start treating her time here at the farm as a vacation, considering why she was here, and maintaining some kind of disciplined schedule should make it less painful to jump back in to work when she got back. However, that didn't mean she shouldn't take advantage of what being here had to offer. She smiled at that thought, the farm was beautiful and had a lot to offer, but so did its owner.

On her way to the bathroom, she glanced into Emma's room to find the room empty and the bed already made. Somehow, Regina was not surprised to see that the blond was already up. If she had gotten up again in the middle of the night, she hadn't heard her; at least she had kept the music down when she woke up. Regina made quick work of her morning wake up routine. Regina was practically giddy with anticipation at the prospect of getting on a horse again and exploring the forests and meadow's of Emma's farm. She was surprised at how well rested she was this morning since she expected to not sleep well last night. It must have been all the fresh air yesterday and the run, because she had slept like the dead. Getting out on the trail by horseback held its own appeal, in addition to the fresh air; they would be able to cover more trails. So, after running a hairbrush through her dark brunette hair and brushing her teeth, she didn't do much else figuring she could take a shower after their ride.

When Regina padded down the stairs as quickly as she could in her socks, she was surprised to see the other woman laying face down across the length of the couch. _She must not have gone up to bed_, Regina thought with a frown.

Emma woke to the sound of Regina coming down the stairs. She was lying on her stomach on the wide couch; her jean clad legs splayed as she tried to keep her balance against the back cushions. She was hugging one of her Navajo blanket throw pillows and she found her cheek had been resting precariously close to an embarrassing patch of cold wet when she peeled her skin away from the patterned cloth. She must have finally succumbed to sleep, passing out on the couch sometime in the early morning hours. Groaning softly as she pushed up from the couch with one sleep numb hand pressed against the floor, she sat up and looked towards the sounds of footsteps to find Regina looking at her speculatively from the archway.

"Morning, you ready to go?"

Regina took a good look at the blond; she was particularly ruffled looking this morning, her clothes the same ones she had been wearing last night. She seemed to be a little shaky on her feet when she tried to stand up, but recovered quickly as she stretched and walked out her cramped muscles. Regina could hear the sounds of joints popping and snapping as she rolled out her shoulders to loosen them up. Stepping closer, Regina could see that her pupils were huge, leaving only a slim circle of green practically glowing against bloodshot sclera. Looking around she saw three crumpled cans of Red Bull sitting on the coffee table, their empty tin carcasses testimony to a desperate attempt at forced insomnia.

_Holy crap, that can't be good for her._

"Emma, did you sleep last night?" Regina placed a concerned hand on Emma's chest; she could feel Emma's heart beating forcefully against the palm of her hand.

"No, but its ok." Emma stepped away from the concerned brunette lightly, rubbing the spot where her hand had rested, feeling her heart racing beneath her fingertips and willing it to slow down after responding to that light but intimate touch. She was feeling the Red bull's after affects and strategically took care of two needs, first the bathroom, then the kitchen for a large bottle of water. She drank almost half of the bottle before she felt ready to go, sliding her feet into her well worn Ariats' before heading back into the living room to retrieve Regina.

Come on, hungry horses to take care of." Emma had already pulled on her boots and seemed ready to start her day, her normal level of bottled up energy appearing to be fully charged. Regina was impressed, she had never seen anyone wake up as quickly and get themselves together after a sleepless night quite like the mysterious Emma Swan.

"Ok, lead the way." Regina wasn't entirely fooled; she was going to keep an eye on her today, just in case.

Once they were in the barn, Regina fed Casper while Emma took care of Pistol. She was watching the blond carefully for any signs that she would be unsafe on the horses today. So far her sleepless night didn't seem to be affecting her that much.

With the horses happily munching on their morning grain ration, Emma headed for the tack room with Regina following close behind.

"This was my mother's saddle, so it should fit you." Emma lifted down the smaller western saddle, leaving her father's saddle to sit alone on the double rack. She put the saddle down onto a smaller wooden saddle rack in the middle of the room, running her fingers lightly across the freshly oiled leather.

_When did she find time to clean up the saddle? _Just yesterday, the two saddles had been sitting alone together, hidden under a thin film of hay dust. Today, the saddle leather gleamed, bringing out the delicate leatherworking patterns covering most of the fenders and skirts of the western saddle.

"Are you sure, Emma? I mean, these are your parents' saddles, I don't know if I feel right using your mother's saddle."

"It's just a saddle, Regina, its meant to be used, unless you think my parents would be happier with them just sitting there and never feeling a horses back again?" Emma's response was not what she had expected, and she felt silly for asking. She really couldn't see any better way to honor her parent's memory and their love of horses then riding for them.

"No, I would never think that. I am honored, really. Thank you." Regina's graceful response warmed Emma's heart. There was a silent moment of understanding between the two women as they honored Emma's parent's memory in a dusty tack room across an old leather saddle. It didn't matter; her mother would have loved it.

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Emma was looking Regina up and down. Before she could ask what the other woman was thinking, Emma bent down and started adjusting the stirrups. When she was done, she straightened up again to find Regina silently watching her quick, sure movements.

"Once you are on Casper we can do the final adjustment, but this should be a close fit." Emma explained while she was mentally going over all the tack she needed to outfit Casper for Regina today.

"You were able to adjust them just by looking at me?"

"Well, yeah. I know how tall you are and how round Casper is so it wasn't that hard to figure out." Emma had always been good at spatial reasoning, so fitting a rider to a saddle was a small feat. While she spoke, she was busy gathering spare tack together and hanging it across the saddle.

"You ready? They should be done by now." Emma tossed her head in the direction of her boys and instantly regretted it. She was feeling a little woozy from all the caffeine leaving her system combined with very little sleep. She had slept some on the couch, but that was more exhaustion kicking in then real sleep. At least the nightmares didn't reappear last night, but it was probably because she was too tired to dream at all.

"Can you get your saddle?" Emma asked, she had already gathered up her saddle and tack and was waiting for Regina to join her out in the barn.

"Sure." Regina replied amiably, her attempt to pick up the western saddle as easily as Emma a total failure as the weight of the heavy western saddle defied her first attempt. Taking a deep breath and putting a little more muscle into it, she was able to pick up the saddle and follow Emma into the barn. Of course, she wasn't able to pull off the casual roll of Emma's walk as she appeared to effortlessly toss her saddle around. Regina felt a twinge of pure jealousy, Emma's muscles weren't just nice to look at, it seemed. The enticing combination of form and function in the blonde woman sent a flash of heat up her neck and into her face as she replayed the other night in her mind, how strong Emma's hands were against her wrists the other night when she held her arms captive above her. God, what was she doing that night? Alcohol and fear and desire are a terrible combination, and she had played the part of the temptress so perfectly in her liquor fueled need, until Emma had striped her of all her power and control in one sweeping movement. She knew now that her game was much like poking a tiger in her cage and hoping the bars would hold. Emma was too much like that tigress, wild and hungry and stalking through life protecting her territory from outsiders.

Regina remembered how to bridle and saddle Casper with no problem but the girth gave her pause, the rigging completely different from the double buckle system she was used too. All she had was a long leather strap that seemed way too long to do its job and no way to buckle it on. Emma on the other hand, had finished tacking up Pistol rapidly before looking over to see Regina still trying to figure out the rigging. She almost laughed, she wanted to laugh but not at Regina. Her lips twisted in a tart smile as a single muscle jumped along her cheek, trying to jumpstart her smile into a full-fledged grin as she took in Casper's bored expression. The palomino gelding was looking back at Regina almost cross-eyed as he watched her hands fumble around. She swore if he could have talked out loud he would have been giving suggestions on how to proceed. As it was, Regina was lucky that he was such a good boy; a lesser horse would have walked out from under the unsecured saddle and enjoyed it far too much.

"You aren't used to western saddles are you?"

"No." Regina muttered in response to Emma's carefully neutral tone. In turn, Emma ignored the one word answer from the normally articulate attorney; she could tell that Regina was trying to maintain what dignity she could hold onto, especially since she had become aware that even her horse seemed to be laughing at her ineptness.

"Dressage or hunt seat?" Emma asked while quickly cinching Casper up for the brunette woman standing next to her.

"Both. You know about dressage?" Regina had answered automatically then added her question. She was surprised, to say the least.

"I will show you how to tie the knot later." Emma was ready to go, and now was not the time to hold an impromptu tack and saddle lesson. "Yeah, I know about dressage. I actually use quite a bit of it when I ride." Emma's voice fell into a practiced cadence as she explained her statement. "It's not the saddle that determines you're riding style; it's just a piece of equipment."

"That's great, I would like that." Regina quickly stepped into the stirrup and swung her leg over, settling easily onto Casper broad back. The western saddle was comfortable but added to the girth, and she groaned slightly at the stretch in her hips and thighs as she found the stirrup with her other foot. It had been so long since she had been on a horse; she forgot how much effort was involved just staying limber enough to not feel the strain along her inner thighs and hips. Oh well, she would get used to it again.

"Just remember one important difference from the saddles you are used to, the horn. You really don't want to get up close and personal with it, so be careful." Regina nodded at Emma's bit of knowledge, anxious to begin their ride. Casper was a lot shorter than the horses she had ridden before, but he was solid and seemed well trained.

She sat and watched as Emma actually swung onto her horse without using the stirrups. Turning Pistol around with a light touch to face Regina and Casper, she gave them one last quick visual look over.

"How's the stirrups feel?"

"Perfect actually." She didn't miss the smirk that Emma tried to hide, as she turned Pistol toward the trail head and clicked to her horse to go.

After about a half hour of silence in which both women just passively took in the surrounding country side, Regina could feel her back and hips starting to ache. She knew Emma had been keeping them at a walk to give her time to adjust, but this was ridiculous. First she had to ask her to stop on their run yesterday, and now she was getting sore from riding a horse. What must the other woman think of her? "_City chick"_ She remembered hearing Emma call her that, if she complained it would be admitting to that moniker. Regina's stubborn streak kept her tongue firmly between her teeth.

Emma's sharp hearing picked up a change in pattern as the saddle squeaking behind her lost the rhythmic cadence of a horse walking. The squeaking gave away its rider as Regina tried to subtly adjust her body into a more comfortable position. She figured Regina must be getting sore, but she had no desire to embarrass the other woman by calling her on it.

"Hey Regina, I am feeling pretty tired" She called back to the lagging rider, _Not a lie. _ "Is it ok with you if we head back?"

"That's fine." Regina tried really hard not to sound relieved, but secretly she was incredibly grateful that she wasn't the one to put a damper on today's ride.

Once back at the barn Regina had a new problem; the dismount. She watched as Emma dismounted smoothly even though she had to grab the saddle for a second once her feet hit the ground. It looked like she was kind of unsteady for a moment, before getting her land legs back under her. Regina tried to get off Casper just as smoothly but it was definitely one of her more ungraceful dismounts. Emma came over and steadied her, grabbing her arm until she could get her balance.

"Let's get them untacked and head inside." Emma was back to not talking much but Regina wasn't really that concerned. Right now she was trying to retrain her legs to walk by moving back and forth in a forward motion. Her legs felt like rubber, and she knew the minute she stopped moving them, things were going to get stiff and sore.

They got the horses untacked and out to pasture pretty quickly. The two geldings seemed overly enthusiastic about losing their human companions and going back to being just horses and quickly abandoned them to the lush grass growing on the far side of the pasture. Regina was getting worried about Emma. It was all good and well that her legs felt like jello, but Emma rode every day so she shouldn't look as wobbly as the "city chick" she had made fun of just a couple of days ago. After watching the blonde woman trip and stumble, Regina decided to be firm. Emma needed sleep.

"Emma, you need to go to bed." Regina and Emma were walking up the stairs like two drunks after an all nighter.

"I will be fine." Emma tried to wave away Regina's concern, but the slight slur in her voice gave the level of her exhaustion away.

"You can't protect me if you get sick, and if you don't sleep you will get sick." Regina decided to try blackmail again, knowing that the younger woman's sense of duty would override her stubbornness.

_Why the hell is the woman so adamant about not sleeping?_

"Fine, I will try, but just for a couple hours." Emma agreed, finding her bed difficult to avoid as gravity seemed to draw her down onto the inviting surface, she practically collapsed on her bed the minute her knees hit the mattress. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was still restless but at least she wasn't fighting against her body as it was demanding sleep to recover from the night.

Regina pulled off her boots and wrestled her under the covers. She wasn't even going to try and undress her.

"We will see about that." Her pert answer remained unheard by the already lightly snoring blonde. She was hoping Emma would sleep for more than just two hours. Regina could see bruised looking circles under the other woman's eyes. Brushing light strands of golden hair off Emma's forehead, she brushed a stolen kiss against the smooth skin where her fingers had just touched.

She was determined to take care of her protector; in some strange way Regina had come to the conclusion that they needed each other. Somehow, it made it easier to accept Emma's role in her life now that it wasn't such a one sided deal. She could give something back to Emma, and that made her less of a damsel in distress with Emma as her knight in shining armor and more like two equals with vastly different skills embarking on a terrifying and exciting journey together. All of the focus had been on what Emma could do, which was keep her physically safe. Regina couldn't rely on that, she had skills and she should be using them. The first placed to start were her old files, she was sure that if she dug deep enough she could narrow down the pool of possible perp's from her old court cases. Being sent to prison is a very good incentive for wanting revenge on the woman who put you there.

Regina stayed productive through the day, making sure to check on Emma every hour. She had just finished a very informative phone call to Gold when she heard Emma making odd, strangled noises. Rushing up the stairs she found Emma thrashing around in bed, her eyes screwed shut against whatever was playing beneath her pale lashes. The covers had gotten tangled around her legs and she was mumbling incoherently, still deeply asleep but caught up in some nightmarish world. At one point it sounded like she was calling out orders and then stopped, her teeth clamped around a high keening sound that ended in sobs. Regina had never seen someone crying in their sleep before, and it was heart wrenching to watch as tears ran freely down her face.

Crawling onto the bed, she brushed sweat dampened hair away from Emma's face, soothing her with comforting sounds, but not really saying anything that would make sense. Emma immediately settled at her touch, her body relaxing as she massaged her arms, encouraging her to rest, to sleep. When Emma finally quieted down and seemed to be truly asleep and not caught up in her nightmare anymore, Regina felt safe leaving her. She ran downstairs and started dinner then ran outside to the barn. It was a little early for dinner but neither horse put up a protest, digging into their grain with relish after being put to bed for night in their bedded stalls. The pot roast she was making would take awhile to cook so she went upstairs to try out Emma's bathtub. She was stiff from earlier and thought a long soak would do her good. Checking in on Emma one last time, she was relieved to see her still sleeping.

Laying back in the tub she closed her eyes and reflected on her conversation with Gold. He had told her it would take awhile to gather up the files from all her old cases. He wanted to know how Emma was treating her. She told him the other woman was being a perfect hostess, which he laughed at, knowing she was covering for his niece since she would never be a perfect hostess. They had chatted for a little while longer before she got up the nerve to ask him about Emma's shoulder. Shrapnel, he had told her. Regina cringed when she thought about it. Those hot metal shards had become imbedded in the blondes shoulder when her Humvee had been blown apart. God that must have hurt like hell. He had gotten off the phone soon afterwards, but not before telling her he was glad they were getting along. She wanted more than to "just get along" with Emma. Regina was ready to be completely honest to herself. Even if it was too soon and it made no sense, she was starting to care about the younger woman a great deal. She had never believed in love at first sight, but maybe there was something to it after all.

After getting out of the bath and pulling on fresh clothes, she peaked in on Emma to find her still fast asleep. _She must have been exhausted._ Although Regina was only half serious when she blackmailed Emma to get some sleep, the truth of her threat remained. Emma couldn't protect her if she wasn't well rested. Her ability to protect her this morning was seriously compromised, and if the stalker showed up, it could have been bad. They were going to have to figure something out. Regina went back downstairs to check on the pot roast, it looked and smelled wonderful when she pulled the lid off the roasting pan, the steam escaping from the pan travelling up and out into the rest of the house. She was surprised that the smell alone hadn't woken Emma up already. Ignoring her growling stomach, she headed back up to Emma's room to wake her up for dinner.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Regina allowed her fingers to gently trace the blonde's Nordic cheekbones, noticing the light dusting of pale freckles left there by her time in the sun.

"Emma, it's time to get up, dinner is ready." She spoke softly. When didn't get a response right away she repeated herself in a firmer voice.

"Emma, dinner is ready." She tried again, this time imitating Emma's military voice to get her attention. "Emma, I need you." That worked. Emma sat straight up in bed, looking all around her while her right hand flexed into a fist as if grasping around an imaginary weapon. "What? What do you need, is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine dear. Dinner is ready and you really need a shower."

"What time is it?" Emma asked as she threw the covers off of her and jumped out of bed. Her shoulder popped loudly when she stretched, a great yawn closing her eyes against Regina's wince when her shoulder popped.

"Close to eight."

"Oh shit, I need to feed the horses." She bent down to throw on her boots, intent on rushing out when Regina's next words stopped her.

"It's already done."

"Oh! Thank you. I am going to shower real quickly and then I will be down for dinner. Oh, and Regina. Thank you for letting me sleep, I guess I needed it." Emma cast an appreciative glance and a quick smile at Regina for her thoughtfulness before heading into the bathroom.

Regina went downstairs leaving Emma alone to get undressed and cleaned up. She wondered if tonight would be too soon to invite herself into the other woman's bed. After all, her presence today had managed to drive away those pesky nightmares; it was something to talk about, perhaps over dinner?

**A/N: We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to review, follow and fave us it's totally awesome to get those in our inbox.**

**This is probably going to be a lengthy story. Some chapters will have fluff since it is a romance and some will have action and some.**

**On another note does anyone else find the M and M commercials disturbing. I mean if my candy was talking to me I just don't think I would be wondering what it tasted like. I might check myself in for mental health. oh well that's my question for today.**

**Don't forget to review thanks for reading**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: previous disclaimers apply, we retain original plot and storyline, do not archive any part of Sanctuary without authors express permission. **

**Chapter 6**

"Regina this pot roast is delicious, thank you." The heartfelt thank you was genuine and the words somehow made Regina inexplicably happy. From what she had learned about Emma, she pretty much treated food like other things necessary for life. You needed oxygen to breath, water to drink, and food….well, food was fuel for the body, and Emma never seemed interested in food as anything else. She didn't seem to know how to savor the experience of eating, to enjoy the smell of it, or for the pleasure of eating something that just tasted good because you wanted to, not because your body demanded it as it's due. Like good chocolate, there was no reason for it but the sheer pleasure it offered to all the senses. Regina groaned internally as thoughts of chocolate and pleasure led to thoughts of sex, one was so much like the other wasn't it? Perhaps she was trying to satisfy one appetite in order to wake the other? After that first kiss, Regina knew where Emma's appetites for that lay, but not how hungry she was willing to remain before satisfying them.

All in all, Regina was supremely satisfied with the meal tonight. Once you got past the peanut butter and jelly that seemed to be a mainstay of Emma's diet, the kitchen had been remarkably stocked with all the ingredients and spices she had needed to make a reasonable facsimile of a recipe that her friend, Michael had taught her. He was a chef at the local hot spot around the corner from her townhome, a place she often frequented during the week. With her crazy schedule it was difficult to spend time cooking let alone subsequently waiting to eat alone until midnight. Regardless of how busy it was, and it was always busy, his partner and him always found a quiet table for her to enjoy her food. In return she was rarely allowed to order, since they seemed to delight in using her as a guinea pig in trying out a new dish before putting it out on the menu.

One of the things she had discovered while rummaging around the kitchen was a small door and an even smaller staircase leading into another basement room. Despite her trepidation and fear of large spiders, Regina had braved the rickety stairs and weak light bulb barely illuminating the interior to find herself in a very respectable and fully lined wine cellar. The bottles were dusty, cool, and were being held into their racks just as they should be, tipped enough to keep the cork wet. She found a wonderful vintage of burgundy and brought it up the stairs, holding it as carefully as it deserved, since it was finally going to find a home in a wonderful sauce for her roast. Was she going all out on this dinner? Maybe. Did she want to self examine her motives at this time? No, not at all.

Dinner started off with a lot of little surprises, all of them nice. Emma had seemed hesitant at first when Regina placed her plate in front of her, the presentation of roast, potatoes, and grilled vegetables artfully placed on the worn china. However, once she started eating, she took to the food with single minded determination. Regina was basking in the glow that only a cook understands when their food is truly appreciated, which she had no doubts about when she could hear the quite humming in Emma's throat as she closed her eyes to chew thoughtfully, her face peaceful and happy. Considering Emma's normally birdlike eating habits, she was surprised when the blond got up and helped herself to another serving. It was good to see her eating real food for once, she just couldn't decide if Emma was eating like it was her first or last meal.

"Do you want more?" Emma asked as she was standing next to the kitchen counter, she had been busy putting together another plate when she felt Regina's eyes on her. Suddenly self-conscious and not sure if she was being rude, she felt like she should make the offer since she was already up. She felt good, between the good food and the nap, she felt extremely well rested. She had gotten more continuous sleep today than she had in quite awhile, and she found herself humming tunelessly as she helped herself to not only more roast but also another helping of potatoes and vegetables.

"No dear, I'm fine." Regina replied, smiling around her glass as she watched Emma jump and stick her finger in her mouth when the burgundy sauce spilled over the edge of the plate and onto her hand. Regina was pleased to see Emma eating and actively participating in their conversation.

Emma sat down, then looked over at Regina's plate, which was relatively empty and had the silverware loosely crossed on its surface. The brunette woman seemed satisfied with leaning back in her chair and watching her enjoy her meal.

"If you are done. I can get the computer for you. I forgot last night, sorry." Emma's eyes flashed from Regina's face, to the plate in front of her, then towards the entryway leading into the living room before looking back down at her own plate.

"Finish your meal first, there is no rush." Regina responded amicably, taking a sip of her apple cider and grimacing just a little at its tartness. She cast a regretful glance at the cellar door, she had found some lovely cabernet she would have loved to have opened for dinner, but Emma didn't seem to drink and she felt it would have been rude to assume she had free reign to take what she pleased out of her wine cellar. Still, her taste buds rebelled against the more sedate and less alcoholic option. Not that drinking and being around Emma was a good idea, not after the other night.

"Yeah, but I can just eat out there instead." If it was possible, the lanky blonde woman sounded almost petulant, but Regina was noting signs of discomfort. She wondered what had changed, they had been chatting amicably as they ate dinner together.

_Ah, so that's what it is. She wants to eat in front of the TV._ As someone who had eaten a lot of meals alone, Regina could understand the need for such banal company. She also had to remember that Emma had been living under this roof for years, all alone and with no one to share the time with. It was sure to cause some quirky behaviors that she couldn't expect to understand or change overnight.

"Ok, you convinced me." Regina said with a smile. _Choose your battles_, Regina, she told herself, after all, the blonde had sat and eaten with her, she just didn't seem to want to eat alone at the table while they sat together.

Emma grabbed her plate and set it on the coffee table before retrieving her computer for Regina.

"Thank you, by the way, what's on tonight that's so important?" Regina took the offered laptop from Emma before asking her question.

"Its television, there is never anything on, it is just a distraction." Regina smiled at Emma's insight. Her statement was painfully true, no matter how many channels they added, there was rarely anything on that was good to watch. All it did was make it more time consuming to flip through hundreds of channels only to realize that there was nothing on and then turn it back to the music station you had started with in the first place.

Regina opened up her email and groaned, getting a curious look from Emma for her dramatics.

"Problem?"

"No, Just a lot of email to go through." Regina's studious face held the bluish glow of the computer screen as she scanned through her in box.

"Glad I don't have that problem." Emma responded absently, her grin barely contained as she sat cross-legged on the couch, finishing her dinner. Regina frowned at her companion; a surge of envy for the woman's liberating removal from modern society honing home just how hectic and life consuming her career was. A career that she had always loved, but now had her hiding away to avoid a stalker who could be a danger to her.

The show was on a commercial, so Emma got up and took her plate into the kitchen, while she was there she put all their dishes into the dishwasher. Regina had cooked so it only seemed fair.

"Is it back on yet?" she called out to Regina.

"No."

"Ok, I'm back." Emma settled back on the couch, missing the inquiring glance Regina sent her way.

"Do you mean to say that you don't have email?" She had to know, everyone had email these days, and it just didn't make sense. After all, she had the computer and internet.

"I do, I just don't have anyone in my contacts list anymore."

"But how do people get in touch with you?" Regina couldn't imagine not using her email everyday.

"The only people I am interested in talking to have my phone number."

"How many people have your number?"

"Two, actually three, since you have it now." Emma's eyes were glued to some ridiculous scene, the TV seemed full of shows these days of people doing stupid things and then sending in the tape to show the world just how idiotic they could be.

"Interesting"

"If you say so. Ah, man….why do they let people do this shit?" Emma turned the TV off, sensing something different in how intently Regina was staring at her computer screen. She looked over at the other woman who was staring blankly at the computer screen.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just this stalker business it's really getting to me. Whoever this is, they know where I live, and they knew my schedule, my routes and favorite hangouts. How do I know they won't find me here?" Regina put the offending laptop onto the coffee table. She felt suddenly cold, as if a ghost just walked over her grave, and she shivered delicately at the foreboding sensation, gathering her arms around her tightly as if to ward off the unseen presence.

"Did someone email you something?" Emma asked, concerned that the stalking had taken on a new form. She got up and went over to Regina, laying a gentle hand on the other woman's shoulder in an attempt to reassure her. It was important that Regina felt, no knew, that she was safe as long as she was here.

Regina looked up and smiled at the gesture, automatically putting her hand on top of the blonde's hand resting on her shoulder.

"No, it's just all the email I have. It reminds me that I'm not at work. That's what all this is about…work." She gestured at the screen full of messages. She doubted she would even have a stalker if it wasn't for her work.

"I am gonna have to let all these people know that my associates will be helping them instead." Regina sighed. She did not like this situation.

"No." Emma's curt response shocked Regina out of her self-pitying moment. It also ensured that the brunette woman was listening to her.

"Ok, first off send all of this to my Uncle and let him take care of it. Do not e-mail anybody directly, it wouldn't be safe." She paused then, letting that sink in before continuing.

"Secondly, there is of course no guarantee that your stalker won't find you here, but I can and will keep you safe." She lightly squeezed Regina's shoulder before walking back to the couch and turning the TV back on.

Regina was left watching the blonde walk back to the couch, her long limbs folding gracefully as she resumed her prior position. Somehow Emma managed to bring it home, how much danger she was in, while also somehow reassuring her of her safety. She was grateful for the input; she would have spent all night sending e-mails out to her clients, potentially exposing her location to her stalker. Evidently, despite her obvious distaste for the internet, she was still well versed in the technology.

After another sitcom, Emma decided to call it a night. Regina had joined her on the couch shortly after taking Emma's suggestion and sending the whole mess for Gold to sort out. She couldn't relax, though; she couldn't shake the chilled feeling that had come over her when she was going through her emails. The only email of importance had come from Gold, when he shot back a quick reply to her request to go through her forwarded emails.

"_Nothing has come up yet, there have been no photos, no flowers and no leads. Give my regards to Em."_

After they got upstairs Regina turned to Emma, taking her hand impulsively before she could enter her room. Ignoring the surprised expression on the taller woman's face, she spoke loudly, blurting out anything, something to keep Emma in the hall with her. Regina wasn't ready to go to her room yet. She didn't want to be alone.

"Are you going to ride in the morning?" Stupid question, but it stopped Emma from pulling away just yet.

"I ride every morning." Emma's response was slow, the inflection giving away her irritation at being asked the obvious. Regina knew this, so why was she asking again?

"Can I go with you again?" Regina asked in a small voice. She sounded scared, but of what? Emma had done everything she could to reassure her, yet the woman seemed to need more.

"I don't see why not." She softly kissed Regina on the forehead, the reassuring gesture unexpected by both women.

"Have a good night Regina. Thank you again for dinner."

"Emma…uh, can I sleep with you tonight?"

"What?" Emma was still trying to decipher her earlier actions when Regina posed her bold request. The implications were obvious, and she didn't know what to say to those soft brown eyes looking up at her so pleadingly. She looked like a doe caught in the sights of hunter's scope, instinctively aware that she was in danger but not knowing where the danger was coming from. The comparison was not that far off from reality.

"I don't want to be alone….please this stalker thing is really getting to me. It's really sinking in that I might not see my home again for awhile, and that's scary." Emma scanned Regina's face and saw nothing but fear and honesty. She believed what she was saying. Knowing how independent the woman was, it must have been a hard thing to admit. She also seemed to know exactly what to say to her to bring up her protective nature; she couldn't ignore a plea for protection no matter how many uncomfortable memories were brought back up to the surface. Unfortunately, she preferred those memories sunk deep beneath the murky waters of her past.

"I, I understand….give me a few minutes to change." Emma replied, unsettled at the request and unable to completely hide her reticence. She was really hoping she wouldn't have the nightmare tonight.

"Thank you." Regina felt better already, feeling safe enough to go to her room and change into her night clothes. It wasn't a total lie, what she had told Emma. Seeing all the email from work had reminded her that she was here because someone was threatening her. Being able to spend the night in Emma's bed was just a bonus. She shoved down the tiny pebble of guilt trying to niggle its way into her head, cross examining her and trying to find out if she had orchestrated the whole thing. She wouldn't do that, would she?

XXX

Regina tapped softly on the open door.

"Is it safe?"

"Yep, come on in." Emma had pulled the covers back on the other side of the bed for Regina.

"Thank you. Oh, your bed is so comfortable." Regina let out a moan of appreciation as she lay back into luxury, the pillow top mattress even better than the one she had back in Boston.

"Glad you like it. Sleep well, Regina." Emma lay on her back with her arm tucked under her head, trying not to focus too much on the woman lying in her bed. That plan went to hell, when Regina rolled onto her side, bringing her closer and allowing Emma to feel her body heat radiating between the small distances separating them. Emma's mind and body were on full alert, and she continued to lie there awkwardly until she felt Regina's body relax into the bed, her breathing falling into that rhythmic deep pattern that heralded sleep.

Usually able to maintain her vigilance, Emma found herself drifting into sleep quickly to the sound of the other's woman's soft breathing. The other woman's presence was turning out to be more comforting than she could have imagined, and she barely offered a fight as her eyelids ignored her demands to stay open. Once shut, she had no choice but to follow the darkness into slumber.

Regina had almost fallen asleep, aware that her presence was keeping Emma awake she willed herself to stillness, making her body relax and evening out her breathing to assure the apprehensive woman next to her that she wasn't planning on any ulterior motive.

When she felt Emma relax and fall sleep, Regina stayed awake for a little longer to observe the beauty that was Emma Swan. In sleep, the crease that seemed to be permanently etched across her brow during the day smoothed out, making her appear even younger than her twenty seven years. Regina was thirty eight, but the fact that she was a little older than the other woman didn't seem to have any bearing on how Emma treated her. When Emma's breathing deepened, Regina furtively scooted over more so she could carefully rest her head on the blond's chest. Being cautious not to wake her, Regina relaxed her body against the lithe blonde, taking comfort in the sound of the steady heartbeat beneath her ear as she finally fell asleep.

Emma awoke briefly in the middle of the night to an unfamiliar weight on her chest. She looked down, finding Regina's dark head tucked into her shoulder and her arm sprawled across her ribs. Smiling slightly, Emma brought her arm down and around the alluring brunette and hugged her closer before falling back to sleep. Her dreams that night were filled with the scent and touch of Regina and none of the past.

XXX

**A/N Part two: Thank you for all the kind reviews, and favorites and followers. Evidently, holding chapter three hostage worked quite well, but now I am considering renegotiating the terms of release again. Please review and I will keep typing furiously. Spoiler alert: As you requested, "bad ass Emma" will soon be making an appearance….**

**A/N part three: have you ever noticed when you buy something it is packaged in a way so you can't get what you need out? The other day I bought a box cutter, unfortunately I needed a box cutter to get it out of the package it came in. Just my thought for the day.**

**A/N: I will let you in on a secret…..My reviews and follows all come to my phone, and I wait with baited breath for you insight, your questions, and if you must….any adoration for this story line…I beg you, make my phone blow up with email after email…I look forward to hearing from you, it fuels my desire to get to the next chapter…..hint, hint….**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: We don't own OUAT, we retain rights to original storyline and plot. No archiving allowed. And now that the bitchy part is over…..enjoy!**

**Chapter 7**

Emma woke up the next morning to her alarm buzzing angrily on her bedside table. It was the first time in a long while that she actually had to use it; she normally woke up way before it went off and she was usually already well on the way to starting her day ahead of the set time. She couldn't even remember when she had set it; it could have been months ago for all she knew. She threw her free arm out to find the offending machine and hit the button to preemptively turn it off before it cycled back to alarm again in ten minutes. The alarm probably went off every morning in her absence; vainly trying to wake up the empty house with its annoying buzz. It should have been humorous, but today the thought carried a cheerless note with it. Was it strange to feel lonely in retrospect?

Since today seemed to be a day for firsts, waking up to the sound of the alarm was going to have to play second fiddle to another first. She looked down at the dark haired woman still sprawled across her in a dead sleep. Somehow in the middle of the night Regina had wrapped herself around Emma's body while she was sound asleep. Apparently Emma was more comfortable than the mattress the dark haired woman had been so enamored of last night. Regina was tucked in tight against her, her arm wrapped tightly across her middle along her rib cage just below her breasts, her leg cocked up over her thigh in such a way that the length of her body was pressing tightly against her. Well looking decidedly comfortable for Regina, Emma wasn't sure how at ease she was with being used as a body pillow. After all, pillows weren't at all worried about having an enticing woman's lithe body lying entirely too tightly against parts that were enjoying the touch of their sleeping party a lot more then she wanted to admit.

Emma almost, almost was able to maintain her composure against the intimate positioning of Regina's body when her mind and body rebelled suddenly. The alarm must have disturbed Regina's sleep enough make her squirm slightly as she tried to curl even tighter against Emma's painfully awake body. She made a small noise of displeasure in her throat when Emma tried to move her hand away from her, the skin beneath her palm suddenly feeling hot beneath fingertips suddenly numb and tingling all at once. Regina's breathing held a steady cadence as she slept on; blissfully unaware of the effect she was having on Emma each time she exhaled. The hot, moist air was blowing across Emma's nipple in a metered pattern, causing an uncomfortable amount of arousal to course thru her veins. The slow pattern of her breathing left her with just enough time between each exhalation to anticipate the subtle torture, her nipples painfully hard against the warmed fabric of her thin t-shirt. Stifling a groan, she felt her heart beat picking up speed as panic and arousal fought for supremacy. She needed to get away so she could compose herself before Regina woke up. Judging from the effects Regina was having on her body, what she really needed was a cold shower, preferably before the brunette woke up and saw her face. She was sure that every indelicate thought she was having was clearly written there, echoing the tingling sensation between her thighs. She had no doubt where those thoughts would lead if Regina looked at her with those soul searing chocolate brown eyes. She would know what she was thinking in an instant and, knowing her, she would pursue that avenue of questioning until she got what she wanted. The good counselor was a tenacious woman, and Emma had no doubt that in her weakened state, she wouldn't be able to mount an effective argument against her desire.

She didn't even know why she was fighting so hard against the attraction, other then the fact that she didn't know the woman that well, and she didn't do casual sex. Not to mention she was supposed to be protecting the ex-Prosecutor from a stalker, at her uncle's request. There were so many reasons to keep her distance, but she knew they were all easy excuses. Intimacy required opening yourself up to hurt and pain, two things she was way to familiar with in her short life. Regina didn't belong here, and as soon as they found her stalker, she would be gone. It would be better to avoid any unnecessary entanglements. Her thoughts brought her back full circle to her current predicament, how to extricate herself from the entanglement of their bodies so she could escape.

One of the side effects of her shoulder injury was the ability to practically dislocate her shoulder at will, a handy skill to have as she slid her body carefully out from under the peacefully sleeping brunette. After she managed to escape the dangers of her bedroom, Emma ran downstairs to make some coffee. Her sensitive ears caught a familiar sound before what she was hearing was confirmed by her eyes, it had started to rain. Not an unusual occurrence in the mountains, but one that put a sudden damper on her plans. Checking the forecast, she frowned when she saw that it was slated to rain all day.

_Oh well, so much for riding today. I guess I can finally catch up on my reading. _Emma snorted at her mundane thoughts that was and had always been her MO before Regina showed up, now she got to look forward to spending an entire day trapped indoors with someone she was having trouble resisting.

Emma didn't bother grabbing her hat and jacket, Mother Nature had created a perfectly good cold shower for her over stimulated hormones and she needed to get the horses fed before they started eating their stalls.

When she got back inside she was soaked from head to toe. Of course the steady rain had turned into a drenching downpour the minute she left the house, and she had momentarily contemplated hiding in the barn until it let up some, but didn't want Regina to wake up to an empty house and freak out. After a quick sprint for cover back under the wrap around porch, she could feel the water sloshing inside her boots and pooling around her from her waterlogged jeans. Deciding against tracking water through the whole house she went ahead and stripped off her wet jeans and shirt in the laundry room, leaving just her boxers and tank top on as she padded around the house in her bare feet. The house was warm enough that she didn't feel the need to put on a fresh pair of clothes, besides; doing so would require her to go upstairs again. Pouring a cup of hot coffee Emma grabbed an old towel and laid it on the kitchen table along with some other supplies before going over to the hall closet and pulling out her guns. _What's a rainy day for, if not cleaning your guns and catching up on your reading?_ She asked herself, not reading into her own line of questioning.

XXXX

Regina woke up alone and on the wrong side of the bed. Her arms were wrapped firmly around Emma's pillow, her scent already becoming familiar to her. Sitting up, Regina realized that the blond was not just missing from the bed, but from the whole room. The bathroom door was open and she could tell she wasn't in there either. She started to worry that she had screwed up, that she had made Emma uncomfortable by inviting herself into her bed last night. She had slept so soundly, she couldn't remember how long Emma had stayed with her. Had she left the bed as soon as she had fallen asleep? Wrapping her robe around her, she was hesitant to head downstairs. She would feel awful if Emma had retreated to the couch because of her. She was momentarily relieved to see the couch untouched, until she considered how late it was. Emma hadn't woken her, and it was well past the time she was usually on the trail for her morning ride.

Regina's heart contracted painfully in her chest at the thought that Emma had gone out riding without her. She had just wanted some comfort and to get closer to other woman not chase her out of her own bed. When she reached the bottom stair, the smell of good coffee rushed up to greet her in the most delightful way. Her crushing disappointment was replaced with giddy anticipation when she heard music coming from the kitchen. She was happy that Emma was still in the house, she didn't even care to analyze why it was so important to her. It just was. Rushing into the kitchen, Regina was met with a sight that she knew she would never forget.

Emma was sitting cross legged on a wooden chair at the kitchen table, but that wasn't what struck her. It was what she was wearing, bright yellow Joe boxer smiley face boxer shorts and a black form fitting tank top that accentuated the practiced ease the blonde woman managed to pull off her Yoga like posture. Regina wasn't sure she could pull of that position so casually and balance on a chair at the same time. What really made her eyes practically pop out of her head was what Emma was doing. The kitchen table was strewn with a medley of metal bits and pieces that looked vaguely familiar but didn't register completely until Emma brought two large pieces together, manipulating something under her thumb that joined the pieces into something recognizable. Emma was sitting at the table cleaning and assembling a decidedly wicked looking rifle. With her blond hair wild and tousled around her shoulders, her skimpy outfit and the dull grey rifle resting in her hands, she looked like a center fold expose on hot women with guns for a magazine like Soldier of Fortune. She was so busy ogling Emma that her brain failed to register the music coming out of the small Bose system on the counter. The lyrics got her attention immediately. "_My pussy tastes like pepsi cola_." Oh my God, seriously?

"Um?" that was all her brain could apparently come up with at the moment. Her tongue felt stuck to the roof of her mouth as she tried to get words out that weren't even coherent inside her head.

"Morning." Emma said over her shoulder, not looking up from what she was doing. Evidently, there are a lot of little pins and springs involved in putting a gun together.

"Um…" Regina tried again, but got just about as far as her first try. She tried to wet her lips and try to speak again, but her mouth was even dryer then her lips. Apparently eloquence wasn't going to happen right now. She needed something to drink and she wasn't sure if she meant the coffee, even if it did smell amazing.

"Don't worry, I put a towel down." Emma gestured at the towel that was spread out on the table, misinterpreting Regina's poor commentary as not being thrilled at the kitchen table being taken over. Her single minded attention to her work left her unaware that the stunned brunette was having a hard time forming words.

"Huh?" _Well, that was better than *Um*._ Regina thought sarcastically_._

_Jesus Regina, get it together, you've seen attractive women before._

Regina tried to argue with herself, but didn't get far when her internal dialogue argued back

_But, not sitting in a kitchen cleaning guns in their boxer shorts._

Emma finally twisted around to look back at Regina. She took in the open mouth and shocked expression on her face. She was starting to wonder what had gotten her panties in a bunch. Hell, it was her table; she could do what she wanted on it. Of course, she had to admit that it hadn't seen much food being passed along its surface since before she left for the military. Still, the silent treatment was getting to her, and she felt like she had to explain.

"To keep the table from getting gun oil on it." Emma spoke levelly, as if it made perfect sense to sit at her kitchen table and clean her weapons. Regina finally found her voice after hunting around for it unsuccessfully for a few minutes. Emma seemed blissfully unaware of the effect she was having on her, and for a moment Regina felt lost. Was the woman that resistant to her charms she can't even tell when she makes her speechless? Considering they slept together last night and nothing happened, she was beginning to wonder if she had completely imagined that first night. _Or, I was more drunk then I thought I was?_

"Do you always clean your guns in boxer shorts?" Regina mentally clapped herself on the back. Yay! She had formed a complete sentence this time.

"Only when it's raining outside." Emma quipped, her serious face slipping into a mild grin as she finished putting together the bolt in front of her.

"So, this is a thing with you? It rains and you strip to your underwear and clean guns?" Regina tried so very hard to sound casual as she asked the question. She had finally made it to the safety of the kitchen counter and had found a clean coffee cup for herself.

"Yep" Emma managed to keep a straight face as she slid the bolt home before snapping the rifle back together. The small snick of the pin as it was pushed home was loud in the silence between them.

"Are you serious?" Regina had found the cream and sugar and had managed to sweeten the coffee to her taste before she turned around and leaned against the counter.

"Maybe." This time, Emma looked up when she spoke, her smile widening into an amused grin.

"Would you like breakfast?" Regina decided to change the subject. She knew she was being teased now.

"Sure give me a minute to finish up." Emma put her supplies back together quickly, her military training showing in the quick, efficient movements. The rifle went into a hallway closet, taking the acrid smell of metal and gun oil with it.

"Um, Emma….? Regina couldn't help herself, she had to ask.

"Yes?" The blonde woman paused, her hands busy removing the cloth from the tabletop.

"What do you do when it snows?" Regina asked innocently before taking a sip from her coffee, then choked and spluttered on the hot liquid when Emma answered her.

"I sharpen my knives." Emma's face was carefully blank as she responded, for all intents and purposes she sounded absolutely serious. The two women looked at each other from across the room long enough for Regina to start to believe what Emma had just said. Just then, Emma gave in and raised one pale eyebrow at her elegantly. Just that and nothing else, but it was enough to send Regina into a fit of laughter. Emma chuckled at her, her subdued laughter the only sign of her amusement at managing to fool her guest into believing her.

"Here, you got some coffee on you." Emma offered Regina a clean towel before wandering into the laundry room.

"So what happened to your clothes?" Regina called out after her, rummaging through the refrigerator.

"I got soaked feeding the horses." Emma's disembodied voice carried through the open door.

"Why didn't you just get dry ones?" It was a reasonable question. Regina was still searching for something good to make for breakfast so she hadn't noticed that Emma had returned. She had pulled on her jeans and was buttoning them up absently. Evidently, Emma had been drying her clothes when she had come downstairs. Which, of course, made perfect sense didn't it?

"I didn't want to wake you." Emma was still barefoot, so her movements around the kitchen were dead silent as she brought her mug back for a second cup of coffee.

"So, you weren't avoiding me this morning?" Regina finally had to ask, her fingertips tapping nervously around the porcelain edge of her own mug. Her fingertips had found a small inconsistency in the smooth edge and she was worrying the small crack with her fingernail in a display of nervousness that was very unlike her.

"No. I noticed it was raining and you were sound asleep, so I figured why wake you." Emma didn't mention the rest of it, nor did she explain why she went out into a deluge without any raingear. At least the rain had cooled her down.

"Thank you. I did sleep quite well." Regina reached across the space between them and squeezed Emma's bicep gently, running her hand down her arm slightly before letting go. She was truly grateful, and she had wanted to let Emma know. When that innocent touch made Emma's muscles jump in surprise beneath her fingertips, Regina's expression turned speculative, Emma seemed to have reverted back to not looking at her directly and there was a decidedly red creep of flush along her neck as Emma turned away from her suddenly to rinse out her coffee cup. _Interesting…_

"Yeah, I noticed. Did you know that you drool?" Emma covered her awkwardness with a joke. She was finding it fun to tease the brunette, for someone so used to telling when someone was lying or telling the truth, Regina seemed to have trouble doing that when it came to her. This urge to be playful was new; she normally avoided interacting with people unless she had too. Regina somehow made her remember a younger version of herself, the carefree person she had left behind when her parents had died and that she had lost before coming back home. She felt happy, content even…and it was starting to scare her right down to her boots. But no matter what, Regina was the one in danger, and that meant being prepared. After last night, she felt it was important to check her weapons, just in case. The rainy day just made it convenient to do something she would have put off, anyways. Guns were a last resort, and she prayed that she wouldn't need them.

"I do not." Regina stated indignantly, bringing Emma back into the game.

"Sure you do. You left a giant puddle of drool on my chest. Really, no ones told you before?" Emma deadpanned her words again, daring Regina to figure out the truth.

"You're teasing right?" Regina took a double take, putting on her best prosecutor face as she scrutinized Emma's face for the slightest tell. She was good at this, really she was.

"Yeah, I am." Emma let her smile touch her eyes this time, letting her off the hook easy this time.

"That's just mean. First, you make me think I drooled on you, and then you remind me that I haven't slept with anyone in a long time." Regina narrowed her eyes at the blonde woman.

"Sorry" Emma offered sheepishly. "I was just having fun." At least she had found out one thing, Regina didn't remember curling up around her, which was a good thing. She really did drool.

"I know. Me too." Regina smiled, letting her know that she wasn't upset. She had actually been enjoying the morning banter. Emma could be a lot of fun when she wasn't caught up in the past.

"Now, let me get to breakfast. Go get changed, Emma, I can't concentrate with you dressed like that." She really couldn't concentrate either, since the tank top Emma was wearing seemed barely legal to leave the farm with. The thin fabric was still damp from the rain and the house was cold no matter what she said. Not to mention that Emma had forgotten to button up the top button on her jeans. The overall look was freaking sexy, even more so because she knew Emma had no clue how appealing she looked right now. She had to work hard to keep her eyes above the neckline during their whole conversation.

"It is my house you know. I am only doing what you say because I'm hungry." Brilliant green eyes held Regina's gaze steadily for a long moment before looking away again.

Gods, it was hard to get a handle on the woman, she kept her emotions tucked away tightly, only offering a glimpse of the real Emma in those rare moments when she would let her guard down. It was like watching for a glimpse of one of those beautiful rare creatures that hid in the forest and the dark. If you were lucky enough that they chose to reveal themselves to you, it would be the experience of a lifetime.

"Sure, whatever you say." Regina smiled as she watched Emma walk out of the kitchen to put on clothes that wouldn't give her a heart attack.

XXX

A/N part 2: Good evening dear readers! We were stuck in a quandary as this chapter progressed, since the characters are writing themselves they seem to have found more to say then we could produce. So, our choice was to make you wait a bit more time and get a longer chapter, or stop here and split it up into two. I hope you agree with us and enjoy this chapter. We continue to promise two things….you will appreciate the slow buildup when our character's finally get their shit together (soon), and yes, badass Emma is coming. The chapter is already written! Don't give up, like fine liquor it will be worth the wait.

A/N part 3: I am on a rampage about reviews…your feedback helps us to stay focused and gives us an idea what you think about the story. But, really, I have a huge ego…..just kidding…a lot of writers talk about reviews like crack, etc….nope…just honest to goodness feel good egotistical need for reinforcement…lol….

But really, I love to hear from you all, after all without you, this story is nothing. It is our readers that make it something else…..as you all enter the worlds we try to create, you make them more real. God knows the world needs more fantasy, more romance, and more happy endings…..


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: we don't own OUAT characters, we retain any original storyline and plots. **

Chapter 8

I sing the body electric

Emma was enjoying her rainy day. Like most vets, she had come to appreciate unexpected downtimes and had learned to take advantage of them, even if that meant just being able to sit and be quiet. After all, you never knew when your next chance to rest would be. It was a well engrained habit, and one she wasn't willing to give up readily. She had been concerned that her routine would be disrupted by Regina's presence, but so far the brunette Lawyer had ensconced herself in the study, apparently engrossed in whatever research she was doing. Emma wasn't curious in the least bit, she figured that Regina would tell her about anything important, but until then she was going to enjoy her down time.

She was listening to the Bose still playing in the kitchen while she searched for something to curl up with and read on her couch for a while, when a Lana Del Rey song came on. Her ears caught the lyrics as the sultry voice sang of "The Body Electric" and it reminded her of an old Walt Whitman poem she remembered her mother reading. Her curiosity piqued, Emma rummaged through the book shelves until she found the book she was looking for. She was right. An old tattered copy of Leaves of Grass was crammed between two other books of poetry she had forgotten about. Pulling it out, she thumbed through it rapidly only to find the poem she was looking for already dog eared and apparently well read. Grabbing a fresh cup of coffee and book in hand, Emma curled up on the couch and started to read.

It was heavy stuff, the words of the poem speaking to Emma in a way they never had as a stubborn and indifferent teenager. She half contemplated putting the book down and finding something else to read, something a little less intense, but she couldn't do it.

Emma was so engrossed in her reading that she didn't notice that Regina had left her self imposed exile until she felt the cushion dip suddenly next to her as Regina plopped herself down heavily into the small space left at the end of the couch. Emma pulled her long legs up under her, giving Regina at least one cushion of her own to sit on.

"I'm BORED!" Regina exclaimed, running her fingers through her dark tresses in a violent manner, as if trying to wake her brain up from the rain enforced inactivity she had tolerated for a few hours. Evidently, being still was not a part of Regina's portfolio as a skill set. After hour after boring hour of pouring through what records she could find online and skimming through her emails for any clues about the stalker, she found her mental state becoming more agitated the longer her ass kept falling asleep on the hard chair in Emma's study. It was just so frustrating to sit and wait while other people acted on her behalf. A quick email to Mr. Gold was another dead end. Oh, he returned her email promptly, but the cryptic and unsatisfactorily short email he sent via his phone revealed NOTHING…it was as if the stalker had just disappeared from the surface of the planet after chasing her away from her home, her job…..her whole boring life. There was no purpose in his actions, and it drove her crazy not knowing what had happened.

"Ohhh..kay?" Emma's response came out as a disinterested question, as in a "_What am I supposed to do about that?" _type question that was left unspoken but was still patently obvious to Regina.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing." Regina practically threw herself into the padded corner of the couch, her arms crossing her chest as she glared at the wall across from her. There was no way around it, she was pouting and she knew it….a grown woman, and she was practically throwing a tantrum at being stuck inside with nothing to do.

Emma sighed; her quiet time was evidently over.

"You could always read a book." Emma suggested, trying not to notice how cute Regina looked when she pouted.

"Well, what are you reading?" Regina pounced, eager for any sort of interaction with another human being after being stuck on the computer for so many hours.

"Whitman." Emma replied, her return to single worded sentences at direct odds with her choice of reading materials.

"Read something to me. " Regina demanded, self excusing her lack of manners momentarily by having to drag out any sort of conversation from the blonde woman looking at her with an odd mixture of annoyance and embarrassment.

Emma felt her cheeks go hot as the last words she had read from Whitman's '_Sing the Body Electric_' replayed in her mind.

_This is the female form;_

_A divine nimbus exhales from it from head to foot;_

_It attracts with fierce undeniable attraction!_

_I am drawn by its breath as if I were no more than a helpless vapor—all falls aside but myself and it._

It didn't help that it was Regina's face and form that had flashed in her mind's eye as she read those lines. That it was the memory of how she smelled as she lay in her arms last night that drew her breath in and made her helpless. She sure as hell was not going to read those lines to the dark eyed woman who was already staring at her like a hawk sighting a field mouse in an open meadow.

"No." Emma responded, her voice oddly strangled as she emphatically refused.

"Well, then you need to find something to entertain me." Regina was taken aback by Emma's response, so her words came out a little more adamant sounding then she had meant. She had just asked her to read from her book, not talk dirty to her. She had been staring at a computer screen until her eyelids felt like sandpaper rubbing her eyes raw with every blink. After hours of scouring court documents and scanned copies of police reports, she really didn't want to read anymore.

Still, Emma's reaction to her request made her curious. Glancing down at the book in Emma's hand, she wondered if Whitman might make good bedtime reading. Her eyes should be recovered from her research marathon by then.

"Do I look like your court jester, Your Majesty?" Emma scowled, tossing the book down as she stood up from the couch, her long legs unfolding from under her gracefully before stalking away with her coffee cup in hand. Regina winced; she had probably deserved the sarcasm. Still, it hurt that Emma had somehow landed on the one nickname she despised above all the others. You didn't make it in the Prosecutor's office, let alone be offered the good cases unless you learned to play hardball. As a woman, she had to act like she had bigger; brassier balls then all the boys in the club and it had earned her the reputation for being quite the hardcore bitch.

A moniker she wore proudly until the day she realized she was becoming the woman everyone thought she was. That was the day that she looked at herself in the mirror and found the face staring back at her looking as soulless and black as the criminals she tried to put behind bars. That was the day she walked away and finally took Gold up on his offer to join his firm.

Perhaps it was because she felt she had upset Emma, or maybe it was because she was trying to overcome her naturally prickly nature, or maybe she really did mean to make it sound like it did, all she knew was that the minute the words left her lips their suggestive nature was so obvious she felt like she would die from embarrassment.

"Well, there has to be something we can do….." Regina had followed Emma into the kitchen, leaning against the door frame casually as she watched Emma mundanely washing out her coffee cup at the sink. She seemed tense, and as the words faded into the air between them, the cup slipped from Emma's soapy hands.

The sound of porcelain shattering was followed by a creative string of curse words from Emma. Her favorite mug lay in shards at the bottom of the steel sink. She could feel Regina's presence behind her, could count to the exact number how many steps it would take to travel from where she stood frozen and where Regina waited for her.

_*Have you ever loved the body of a woman?*_

_ …..there has to be something we can do….._

The damn poem was stuck in her head; the question that had been left unanswered posing itself to her, Regina's voice echoing closely behind.

"How about we go grab something for dinner?" Emma blurted out over her shoulder, making a production of cleaning up the mess in the sink. She wasn't ready to turn around and look at Regina just yet.

"That's sounds wonderful, Emma. Just let me go change." Emma sighed in relief as Regina practically bounded up the stairs to get ready to leave. Her shoulder's sagged as she was finally able to relax without the brunette's dark brown eyes watching her. She wiped her hands with a dish towel, noting the slight tremor that mirrored the weak fluttering sensation deep in the pit of her stomach. She recognized the sick feeling that follows an unsatisfied adrenaline rush. The kind you get when you become frightened or stimulated and nothing comes of it. Her body had been prepared to fight or run, which was just fine and dandy if she had anywhere to run to and she was beginning to wonder who the hell she was fighting?

She cursed for painting herself into a corner, a few minutes in the gym would serve to calm her nerves, but she had promised Regina dinner. Ripping open the refrigerator door, Emma pulled out and shook the orange juice carton. Satisfied that there wasn't much left, she refused to feel guilty about acting like a barbarian and drank the remains straight from the carton. She guessed she should add juice to the shopping list. The sugar fortified her and helped reduce the unsettled feeling in her stomach, at least she felt a little less shaky.

_Where the hell was she, anyways?_

Several minutes had passed by and the woman still hadn't made an appearance. For God's sakes, it was pouring outside and they weren't going far, so how "ready" did Regina have to make herself. Smiling ruefully, she figured it must be a "city chick" thing she would have to get used to. Emma pulled on her boots and hat and was ready in five.

When Regina emerged from the second floor, Emma was amazed to find out that getting ready for Regina meant a complete change of clothes as well as makeup and whatever else she needed to do before going out in public. It wasn't that she didn't look great; Emma just didn't understand her need to get dressed up. As far as she was concerned, Regina would look great wearing a sack.

XXX

"Hey, William." Emma called out as the walked into the country store, the familiar jingle of bells announcing their arrival.

A grizzled older man emerged from out of nowhere, the tight maze of aisles and cubbyholes defying Regina's attempt to follow where he had just come from.

"I've been telling you to call me Buddy for years, Em…" The older man admonished. Since he responded to Emma's call, this must be William.

"That's what my dad called you, I am barely comfortable calling you William….you've always been Gunny to me ever since I was little girl." Emma responded, grinning as they went through the same programmed banter they always did before getting down to business. William had owned the country store for as long as she could remember, it was only a couple of miles down the road from her farm, which meant it was close enough for her to sneak off and buy candy and soda's from as soon as she could ride a bike that far. Her parents never caught on, or maybe they just chose to look the other way, but her trips to the country store always held a sense of unauthorized adventure followed by a sugar overload that usually ended in her getting a stomach ache and swearing off junk food until the next time. If it was summertime, she would sit at the long bench near the check out counter and listen to William speak, he always had the most interesting stories even if some of them were scary. He had been in the Marine Corps during Vietnam and was one of the few who actually seemed to like being there. There were a lot of rumors about William having gone back after his discharge to be a mercenary, but he never confirmed or denied the allegation. Either way, the compact man didn't seem like much, but she knew from experience that he could be deadly when someone was being threatened that he cared for. No one ever considered robbing Williams's store.

The bells rang again as a second woman entered the store behind Emma. From the way the two women's eyes met for a second, their gaze holding more familiarity then a casual acquaintance, Buddy found himself instantly curious. Emma had kept herself holed up at her farm for years, to find her in the company of a beautiful woman today was something he would have bet against any day of the week. Flipping his gaze back and forth between the two, he had to admit that they were as different as two people could be. Emma was fair under her tan, with blonde hair and green eyes gracing a lithe but powerful body. Her companion, on the other hand was petite and dark, her brunette hair almost black in the dim light of the store. Her skin had that translucent feel to it that someone with naturally tan skin held when they spent most of their time indoors. _Light and Dark_, he thought, fascinated with the contrast. They made a most impressive couple.

"Regina, why don't you just wander around for a bit, I need to talk to William for a sec."

"Of course, dear." The brunette answered her voice cool and smooth as silk.

Emma paled a little before turning back to William…

"She's a little pissed right now." Emma explained when she saw William looking at her funny. "Really, just a little misunderstanding, I asked her if she wanted to go get something to eat, and I guess she assumed it meant going into town."

"Uh, huh, you said you wanted to talk? Does she have anything to do with our little talk?" He asked. Regardless of age, William was nothing if not observant.

"Yes, no…not the way you think." Emma couldn't seem to make up her mind.

"But, first of all I need some ammo…" Emma started as they headed into the maze to gather up the supplies she needed while she explained why Regina was here and why she needed to get ammunition for a rifle she hadn't picked up since she left the military. As she explained, William stood there quietly. He wasn't fazed in the least bit, and he even had a few pointers on how to keep the farm secure while the brunette woman was there. Emma sighed in relief that she could count on William; he would be another set of eyes watching out for Regina.

When William straight out asked Emma if she had told Regina that she was falling for her, Emma almost choked on her lies when she denied any such thing. He just smirked at her denials as he handed her the asked for ammunition.

"Emma, that woman in there really likes you." Buddy had informed his young friend. "And you must think I am an old fool if you think I can't see that you are just as much into her as she is into you."

He let Emma sputter and carry on for a minute before holding up his hand to silence her.

"What I want to know is why the two of you are still batting eyelashes at each other instead of taking advantage of your time together, you obviously want to."

Emma couldn't help it, William's deadpan question sent her into a fit of laughter so unlike her that it confirmed everything he thought he knew. Once she stopped denying it, she seemed eager to talk to someone, and Buddy was happy to listen to her.

"Yeah, but what happens if I let her in and then she bails or worse, what if something happens to her? I don't think I could handle losing another person."

"You can't live in the past, Emma. I'm not saying you can't honor the memory of your friends and family, but you can't use the past as an excuse to keep running from your future."

Pausing to let that sink in, Buddy's face softened perceptively at the pain crisscrossing Emma's face when he had brought up her past. He didn't want to cause her pain, but he couldn't let her keep wallowing in the past, either. Not if there was someone in her life that could bring her back to her former self.

Buddy spoke softly but urgently, he needed to impress Emma in the short time she was here that it was ok, that she could be ok if she just let herself heal. Regina could only walk around the store for so long; eventually she would find them or get upset at being left alone for so long.

"You can't blame yourself for still being here, Emma. You didn't do anything wrong, so why do you keep blaming yourself for other peoples actions? The only thing you did wrong was choose to hide away from everyone and everything when you came home. Dammit Emma, you aren't living your life, you're just existing, waiting until the day you die and not even realizing you are acting like you are dead already. You don't offer any honor to those who did die, do you think they would want you to be this way?"

Buddy felt awful, putting it out there like that. Emma's eyes were shiny, and she was blinking rapidly as if to hold back her tears.

"Now like I said, that pretty lady out there seems mighty keen on you and from what I've heard, you seem pretty keen on her too." Emma didn't speak, she just nodded, accepting William's appraisal of the situation.

I may be old but I'm no prude, and if she is the person in your life to make you happy…well….you need to embrace whatever the future holds between you two and take what is being offered.

"And what happens when she leaves, William?" What do I do then?"

"Well, then….at least you will have tried. Besides, you never know…just because she may leave, doesn't mean she won't come back. From the way she is looking over at you now, I don't think she could stay away from you for long…." Emma was grateful for the warning that Regina was heading towards them. She needed to wash her face; it wouldn't do if Regina found out that she had been crying. Mumbling something about needing fencing supplies, Emma escaped before Regina found her way around to them.

"Hello, Regina." Buddy took it upon himself to make introductions, grabbing the slightly shocked woman by the hand and leading her farther into his store. "It is so nice to meet you."

By the time Emma was able to compose herself, gather up the needed groceries and pick up the fencing supplies she said she needed, she found William and Regina way to cozy at the front of the store. Without a single ounce of guilt for commandeering her house guest, he sidled up to the cash register to check her out. They said their goodbyes and he helped bring out some of the bulkier supplies to the waiting jeep.

Before William headed back inside, Regina walked up to the old man and hugged him. His face told Emma that the unexpected gesture was just as shocking to him as it was to her. They weren't huggy people.

"Thank you, Buddy." Regina murmured, then turned and climbed into the jeep, apparently ready to go.

Emma noticed that Regina was holding a small paper bag of her own on her lap, and while she didn't seem angry at her anymore, she was being quiet as they drove along the quiet country road.

"What's in the bag?" She asked curiously.

"I don't even know, Buddy handed it to me while you were shopping, said it was something special for dinner?"

"Huh, I guess we'll find out when we get home." Emma didn't have a clue, but it wasn't unlike William to do something extravagant when the mood hit him. She just wanted to know what Regina was thanking him for if she didn't even know what was in the bag.

XXX

Emma bounced out of the jeep as soon as they arrived back at the farm, taking charge of the groceries and running them onto the porch before running back out and gallantly opening the door for Regina. She wrapped her own raincoat around the smaller woman, offering her some protection from the water beating down on them until they reached the safety of the covered porch. Forgoing another change of clothing, she figured the heat of the grill would dry her off and she busied herself with lighting the coals and getting them to stay lit in the damp air. When she unwrapped William's "care package" she found two perfectly cut Delmonico steaks within the white butcher paper. William was also one of the local's that kept beef cattle on her property. He sold his aged organic Angus beef to several high end markets around the state, but he always kept a few choice cuts for himself. Emma smiled broadly; Regina was going to be in for a treat.

Regina had disappeared inside with the refrigerated items, only to return shortly with a slightly crestfallen expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked.

"We forgot to buy something to drink."

Emma knew there was water and coffee and probably some soda somewhere, but she doubted any of those were viable options for her dinner guest.

"Why don't you find us a nice bottle of wine, you probably know what goes better with steak than I do?" Emma offered, knowing her guest had already found the wine cellar but probably didn't want to assume it was ok to just help herself to it. It was actually very sweet of her, but the cellar was stocked by her uncle, so she really didn't care if Regina helped herself.

XXX

As Emma busied herself with preparing their meal, the poem and the unexpected advice from her friend William kept running through her head, reminding her that she had the right to live and enjoy her life. While she knew this intellectually, her fear of loss and abandonment kept creeping back out like some cobwebbed old boogeyman from her childhood refusing to leave its cozy home in the darkest corner of her mind.

And yet here she was, cooking dinner for her guest, substituting an offer to satisfy one appetite, one hunger with another…..She doubted that Regina would appreciate it, if she knew that she was making dinner for them as a meager apology for not giving her what she truly wanted.

Despite the rain neither woman seemed interested in retiring indoors, preferring to stay under the covered porch, just silently enjoying each others company. The rain finally stopped just after they had finished their meal and the sun was setting beautifully across the distant mountaintops. When darkness fell, Regina was sure that Emma would suggest going back inside. Instead, Emma had brought out a small radio, the music playing softly in the background as the two women simply sat and enjoyed their wine. Emma rarely drank, but she had simply accepted the glass that Regina had offered her, expecting to nurse the dark red liquid throughout the night. That was until she had tasted it. The flavor was exquisite, her uncle had expensive tastes in wine and Regina had a good eye. She was sure the combination had left her uncle at the receiving end of disappointment when he finally realized that Regina had plucked the choicest jewels out of his wine cellar.

Emma found herself more content and mellow than she had felt in a long time. She found herself staring into her glass of wine as she twirled the dark liquid around like a small whirlwind within the confines of the fine crystal goblet that Regina had found tucked away somewhere in the house. It certainly was not something she had bought, the heft and balance of it led her to believe it was probably quite old and expensive and therefore must be something left behind by her grandmother. It was a suitable vessel to hold the fine vintage the two women had almost finished together.

A slow song had come on the radio when Emma looked up from her silent contemplation of her wine to catch Regina looking intently at her.

"Yes?" she asked in question to Regina's open appraisal.

"Could I have this dance?"

"Why?"

"I have the need to dance with a beautiful woman."

Emma was instantly cautious; still, couldn't find a good reason to argue against Regina's request. How far could a single dance on the porch go? It was a beautiful night, and she had a beautiful woman sitting next to her, looking at her expectantly. It would be rude to deny her something as simple as a dance.

Emma stood and held out her hand, which Regina accepted gracefully. Should Regina have been surprised that Emma was actually a good dancer? Perhaps, but for now she was simply content to feel Emma's strong arms holding her as they swayed to the sound of the music playing just for them. There was no moon tonight, which meant that the sky was alive with stars, the Milky Way was visible as a band of light traveling across the heavens in a display of celestial wonder she had never seen before. It was a rare night where you could see more then a smattering of stars when you lived in the city, and Regina had lived in cities most of her life. The covered porch had become a small oasis of soft light floating on a river of darkness. The illusion that they were alone in the cosmos made it seem like anything was possible. From here, she felt like could create her own universe, if only Emma would join her and show her the way. That feeling was so overwhelming, so overpowering, that she began to tremble against the unseen force lashing out at her psyche.

"You're getting cold, we should go inside." Emma suggested, feeling Regina shiver in her embrace.

"I don't want to." Regina admitted, she was far from cold but she couldn't let Emma know that. The night had been too perfect, more then she could have asked for and definitely more then she had expected.

"But, you're practically shaking, Regina."

"It's not from the cold, dear." She couldn't explain how she was feeling, she barely understood it herself. She only knew that what she needed from Emma had nothing to do with something as banal as sex and simple release.

"Emma, can I ask something of you?"

"What?"

"A kiss. Just one single kiss to complete this perfect night." Regina asked, a slight tremor in her voice making her sound young, almost unsure of herself.

Emma searched Regina's face for any sign of artifice and found nothing but honesty; she meant it when she said she wouldn't ask her for more. Emma didn't know what to say, she was afraid of what would happen if their lips touched, would she be able to hold back or would she lose control?

"If you kiss me, I promise you, I won't ask for anything more tonight." Regina was not one to beg, ever…..but the overwhelming need to connect with Emma tonight had a tight hold on her.

"Just a kiss and nothing more?" Emma's head was spinning, far more then she could blame on the wine, and certainly not when she was being offered something much more intoxicating. Somehow, she knew that this wouldn't be just any kiss, that if she chose to close that short distance between them something would irreversibly change between the two of them forever.

"Just a kiss." Regina breathed as she tilted her face up towards Emma, full pink lips already parted and waiting.

"A kiss." Emma agreed, feeling warm hands slide eagerly through her hair to press firmly against the base of her skull, drawing her down to meet eager lips.

_(All is a procession; The universe is a procession, with measured and beautiful motion.)_

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**A/N: please remember reviews make our world go round and let us know that you are still interested in this story. We still have a few twists up our sleeves on where it is going.**

**A/N: This week I have a short list of innocuous things people say that sound dirty when you are in the middle of trying to write a sex scene. (and, yes…..they were real things people said around me, they must have thought I was mad, laughing inappropriately)…oh, and just in case you are confused, the sex scene was for our OTHER fanfic story…..sorry.**

**It's not a popsicle.**

**If you make me bleed, I'm done. **

**Watch it; I'm a little sore after my bike ride. **

**Don't lick your fingers after you eat.**

**Where'd my banana go?**

**Oh…and last but not least…I am so glad that they didn't have Uranus as a planet option on Face Off last night….Please feel free to add to my list….I know you all have something….**


	9. Chapter 9 Bad Ass Emma

**We do not own OAaT just the original storyline and plot are ours.**

**Chapter 9**

**Bad Ass Emma**

Regina was starting to enjoy the idea of a daily run around the farm with Emma. Now that she was more familiar with the weather and hills, she could almost respectably keep up with the long legged blonde jogging without effort in front of her. Emma always stayed in front, partly because she was just faster, but also because she wanted to be able to look for any tracks or signs of disturbance on the ground around or near here. Emma had tried to explain that to her, perhaps because she was afraid that she was being too controlling? But, honestly, Regina didn't care about running in second place; she had the best view of the farm, in her opinion. If it made her a horrible person that she let her mind run free to rummage around in the gutter and on Emma's ass during the whole time, so be it. Of course, after last night, she had more to keep her imagination well stocked as she watched the firm buttocks and thigh muscles pump without effort in front of her as Emma loped through the woods with the same silence and grace as a wolf out for the hunt. Regina had asked, no begged, for one single kiss from the aloof blonde. She had kissed a lot of women over the years, but never in her life had she suspected that one kiss could be such a life altering event. Even after sharing that first liquor driven and stress inspired kiss the first time, she was unprepared for the soul baring force of nature that poured into her when Emma's lips met hers under the starry blanket of the late night sky. Everyone always thinks of the romantic nature of kissing under a full moon. That this kiss was born on a moonless night felt so right to her. Without a moon to compete with, Regina felt like they were creating their own beacon of pure light out of the darkness. Emma's kiss tasted like sunlight and honey, and she felt intoxicated just from inhaling her warm breath as they kissed gently, a heavy sensation growing in her chest and abdomen as she was filled with the heat and warmth of the summer's sun. Time stopped for her as she reveled in the feel of Emma's lips on hers, the universe shrinking to just the two of them. It was tempting to want to remain in that small universe, one she wouldn't have to share with anyone else, but the kiss had to end, and with it the rest of the universe came crashing back into her reality. She hadn't wanted to move away, but she did. She didn't want to say goodnight, but she did, speaking the words with such poignant regret that she hoped Emma would give in and call her back.

When she opened the door to go back into the house, she looked back to find Emma standing where she had left her, the shadows hiding her face from view as she peered out into the darkness and the night sky. Sighing, Regina walked slowly through the quiet house, remembering to pick up the discarded book of poetry before heading upstairs. Her body sang with the need to feel Emma's arms around her again, it wasn't even a vaguely sexual feeling right now, just an odd sensation that made her feel like she was leaving a part of herself outside, with Emma. This feeling of incompleteness was vaguely unnerving to the normally independent brunette, and she shivered in the night air as she dressed for bed, hoping to find some warmth beneath the heavy coverlets.

Regina's introspection was a dangerous distraction while running on the uneven ground. Her foot unerringly finding the one rain exposed root crossing her path. Her eyes had been open but her mind had turned her thoughts so far inward that she had become blind to her path. The sudden pain travelling through her ankle as she tripped over the vine like root brought her back to the present, her gait faltering as she tried to catch herself before suffering an embarrassing fall. Even though Emma ran in front of her, she also never outpaced her or left her behind. When she tripped, Emma didn't look back but she slowed down for a moment as if to give her a moment to recover before continuing on. She must have eyes in the back of her head, because Emma rarely stopped and looked back unless Regina was having a particularly tough time of it, then she just stood patiently until Regina could catch up or catch her breathe. Which one she did was usually based on how steep of a hill Emma chose for their run.

Regina had to put aside her distracting thoughts and focus on her breathing. Ignoring the painful stitch in her side that came with each breath; Regina didn't notice at first that Emma had stopped in front of her. A surge of anger surfaced, driven by shear stubbornness and embarrassment that the blonde runner felt she had to stop for her again, then was given up quickly as Emma signaled for her to stop. She wasn't familiar with the hand signal, but the held up fist and quick downward motion seemed fairly obvious. She stopped running and lowered herself onto a nearby rock; waiting for Emma to tell her what was going on. Meanwhile she just sat and breathed trying to do both quietly. In the quiet of the forest around them, her breathing and heartbeat whooshed loudly in her ears, even as she strained to hear anything unusual.

Emma stooped and ran her fingers around a single boot print in the muddy running track, then stood and looked down the hill at the distant country road running along the edge of her property. Someone had entered the farm near there and from what she could tell; they were heading up towards the pond that lay ahead of them. This area of the property was heavily wooded and she had it posted clearly against hunting and trespassing, but here was clear evidence that someone was doing both. The pond was one of the few clearings within the heavy hardwood forest, and it was a favorite place for the deer to stop and drink. The u shaped imprint of a butt stock was pretty clear farther up, as if the lazy hiker had used his rifle as a walking stick to get over a rocky bit as they headed up the hill. Emma hesitated for a minute, normally she would just go after the trespassers, but she has Regina with her. She had promised her uncle to keep her safe, what if this was the stalker? Pulling on her lower lip in thought, she ran through her options while continuing to scan the area. After finding a second set of tracks and a discarded Copenhagen container, she decided against stalker and settled on hunters. Hunters she could handle everyday, she just had to make sure Regina stayed out of her way and at a safe distance.

She waved Regina to join her and waited patiently, checking her out as she walked towards her to see how well recovered the shorter brunette was. This could take some physical effort, depending on how far they had trespassed onto her property.

It didn't take long for Emma to find them, since a loud shot rang out soon after she found the tracks. The sharp cracking sound of the rifles report echoed oddly against the trees around the two women, but she could tell by the sound that they hadn't fired in their direction. A second and then a third shot told her two things, they were up at the pond, and they were really shitty shots.

The pond was only about a half mile away, and she needed to get there NOW…which meant she had to haul ass and that meant leaving Regina behind. She turned and looked at the Brunette behind her, her facial expression must have given her thoughts away because Regina simply waved at her to go.

"Go, go get them, I will catch up."

Emma's face flashed gratitude, Regina understood how important this was to her, but Emma didn't want her getting to close either.

"No, don't get too close, it is about a half mile that way" Emma pointed to her right "when you get to the ridge top stop and call Graham, the sheriff and tell him I have poachers at the old pond and that I am going to deal with them." Emma knew when graham heard that he would come running.

"And, Regina, make sure you stay on the ridge top. Just get to where there is cell signal and wait for me."

"Uh, I don't have his number? "

"I programmed the phone, its #3."

Regina nodded, clutching the phone in her hand as she watched Emma take off up the hill at an impressive sprint. Damn, she was fast. Regina felt just a little crestfallen when she realized that Emma had been holding back her pace during their run the whole time. When Regina reached the ridge top, Emma was nowhere to be seen. On the other side of the hill there was the sharp glint of sunlight reflecting on water. That must be the pond Emma was talking about.

Flipping open the phone, she hit #3 and almost immediately got a male voice on the other end.

"Sheriff's office."

"Um, I'm a friend of Emma Swan's and we are out by the pond and there are two hunter's on the property." Regina was winded after her run up the hill and she knew she sounded frantic and out of breath but she couldn't help it. She could hear a muffled call to find Graham, and then some other noises before a second, older male voice came on the line.

"Regina? This is Regina Mills, right?" The professional concern in his voice relieved her instantly; she was worried she was going to have to argue for someone to come out.

"Yes, I'm a friend of Emma's…"

"Yes, I know you who you are. What's wrong?"

"There's hunter's on the property, Emma went after them. She said to tell you they are by the old pond." Regina's words came out rushed; she was trying to remember everything Emma had told her so the Sherriff could find them.

"I'm on my way." And the phone disconnected abruptly…

Regina had nothing to do now but wait, she found that despite the burning pain in her legs and lungs, she couldn't stop pacing, her ears straining to hear anything from the pond below her. How long does it take for the sheriff to get here, anyways?

XXX

Emma had found the hunters.

They were celebrating their kill with a couple of shots from a metal flask they were passing in between them. From what she could tell, only one of them was armed and he held his long rifle loosely in the crook of his arm as he tried to balance flask and rifle at the same time. Both men wore camouflage from head to toe, a good sign they knew they were somewhere they weren't supposed to be, doing something they shouldn't be doing. An honest hunter with tags wears at least a little orange to keep from getting accidently shot. Practiced eyes took in the staggering gait of the first man, his pot belly better suited to an eight month pregnant woman and probably wasn't helping his poor balance any more then the flask he was guzzling from. The second man was skinnier and seemed to defer to the first, so, probably an employee or friend cajoled into coming out to try the new hunting rifle. Both were in their late 30's or early 40's, and had the greasy, heavy-jowled features she associated with easy living and no exercise.

She instantly disliked them both.

That dislike turned to something decidedly darker as she approached the two men in the meadow next to the almost pristine pond. Almost pristine only because of the dark shadow laying close to the waters edge, the bright red of the deer's blood running freely into water that should only hold the reflection of green grass and blue sky. Holding in the coiled violence in her heart, Emma schooled her face to appear pleasant, welcoming even. She willed herself chameleon like into presenting herself as a lone woman hiking on a country trail, harmless and nonthreatening.

It wouldn't work if she approached the two men, so she continued along the trail, her eyes taking in the deer lying on the water's edge. Her heart constricted in pain as she saw the distinctive coat and antlers of her herd sire. This place was supposed to be their sanctuary, the acreage on this side of the farm protected from hunting when she made it a preserve in honor of her mother. Having these troglodytes arrested wasn't enough; they had just killed the rarest of creatures. Black deer were almost extinct, and the herd on her property was singularly unique to Maine. She wasn't against hunting for food, and she had no problem with hunting on other parts of her property to eliminate competition with her prize herd, but hunting for sport just for the trophy was a horrible waste. They weren't local boys, so she put a mental note in the back of her head to find out how they had found out about her herd. Righteous anger welled up in her, making her path difficult to walk as she attempted to look casual waiting for the hunters to notice her.

A drunken voice called out, the hunter proud of his kill ready to present his prowess to the helpless female. She stopped and turned, affecting surprise and a little trepidation until they called out again, ensuring her that they weren't a danger to her.

_But I cannot give that same assurance._

Walking into their impromptu camp, she was assaulted with the foul odor of cheap liquor on the breaths of her two "hosts", their sweat oozing the smell of old beer and crappy cologne.

She put up with their puffery and swelled heads for about two minutes.

_Were they really trying to flirt with her?_

It was time to set things straight.

"You know what boy's…this property here is owned by a local who really doesn't like people hunting on their land." Emma kept her voice light, almost teasing in order to keep their guard down, using the more neutral "their" instead of "her"…they were too drunk to care or notice either way.

More blustering verbal accolades as to their physical attributes and ability to fight whatever man might keep them from hunting wherever they please occurred. Emma didn't even register what they were saying, the words a mild humming in her ears. Pigs don't get to talk in a human voice. Stepping closer, she entered the personal space of the armed hunter, his grinning leer widening as he thought he had won the beautiful blonde over. Reaching her hand out to stroke the cold steel of the rifle barrel, she looked directly into the man's bloodshot eyes.

"You know what I like best about a man's rifle?" She asked sweetly. Waiting for the light to turn on in his dim eyes before moving swiftly, her other hand coming up swiftly under the wooden butt stock as she slammed her palm down on the barrel, her sweet smile turned into a wicked grin as she disarmed the shocked man. The rifle spun rapidly, turning against her wrist as neatly as it had done on the parade grounds until it rested in her hands in a pretty good approximation of port arms.

Pausing dramatically as the man looked down at his empty hands and then up at her with a confused and idiotic expression in his face, she answered her own question.

"Hard butts."

If he didn't get her joke now, he would later when he woke up with a killer headache and the impression of a butt stock on his forehead as she reared back and slammed the rifle stock with enough force to drop him like a hot rock.

"Hey, what the hell! You can't do that!" The second man yelled as he watched his companion crumple to the ground like a sack of grain. He made the irrevocable mistake of grabbing Emma by the shoulder and attempting to spin her around. His second yell was seriously abbreviated as she grabbed the offending hand and twisted, her body movement carrying the man with her as she tucked her body under his arm and held on as she moved behind him. The man found himself lying on his back looking up at the sky, having difficulty taking a deep breath and trying to figure out how he got there before a dark shadow with a golden halo blotted out the sun and consciousness.

Before pain met darkness, he heard the woman's voice above him, the dry tone mocking his assumption.

"Apparently I can, because I just did."

Emma looked down at her work and felt nothing, she couldn't until they were gone and she could take care of the mess they had left behind. If Regina had done her job, the Sheriff would be here soon and relieve her of these pitiful excuses for human beings. She was tired, the adrenaline coursing through her veins seriously diminished from both the exercise and the fight. Feeling a slight trembling starting in her hands, she searched the unconscious men and found what she needed. It was time to package up her presents for Graham.

XXX

Regina was having trouble following Emma's orders to stay put. Her logical mind told her that Emma was trying to keep her safe and that she knew what she was doing. Her emotions, however, were screaming for her to follow Emma down the hill, that she was just one woman up against at least two armed men. As every minute ticked by, she became more worried. What if Emma got hurt? She couldn't let that happen, not after the promise of last night, and certainly not after that one kiss. Just thinking about it brought the images and feelings the moment had evoked, she could not just sit here and wait anymore. Regina couldn't stomach the thought that her lack of action might lead to that one perfect kiss being the last she might share with the blonde woman who had just run so blithely into danger without a second thought. Regina worried her bottom lip with her straight white teeth, a bad habit she usually contained. You could never look nervous in the courtroom, so she had groomed most of her ticks and unconscious physical tells away. This, however, wasn't a courtroom where the actions of real life had already occurred and everyone was dealing with the aftermath. This was real life, the events unfolding just a few hundred yards away from her and she was just sitting and waiting, again. It was unbearable. It wasn't like she thought she could anything, she just couldn't keep sitting there doing NOTHING!

When she heard the first yell, she started running towards the noise then made herself sit down on a nearby stump, it was a masculine voice, not Emma's. Then she heard someone make a horrible noise that just suddenly cut off, and she was on her feet and running without regards to her own safety. Just before she rounded a bend that would take her directly to the pond she slipped on the muddy trail, sliding face first before coming to a rest in a clump of grass that hid her from view. Before she could get up, she was frozen by the tableau being played out before her. Neither of the men were moving. Emma bent down, pulling a large hunting knife from one of the prostrate bodies and testing its edge against her thumb before leaning down again, knife in hand. Regina gasped as the knife flashed, once then twice as Emma jerked the blade up in a violent motion. She did the same with the second man, before sticking the blade into a nearby log, the loud thunk as the blade sunk into the wood one of the few things she could hear over the thundering of her heart.

_What was she doing? _

Next, Emma tugged at the bigger ones waist, pulling his belt off and flopping him over onto his stomach. Tying the belt around his wrists, she did the same to the second man, leaving them facing each other on their stomachs with their arms wrenched behind their backs. It looked like a decidedly uncomfortable position.

Regina's stomach and arms were getting cold, and she was starting to shiver from the mud and wet but she was afraid to move, unsure how Emma would react to her spying.

"If your done with your mud bath, Regina, you can come on down. I won't bite." Emma's voice travelled up to her hiding place, the dry humor in her voice unmistakable even across the distance between them.

_How the hell did she do that? She hadn't even looked up and she knew I was here._

Regina got up, trying to wipe the sticky mess from her arms as she walked towards Emma, trying to keep some semblance of dignity as Emma smiled broadly at her, her eyes shining brightly as she tried to hold in her laughter at the sight of Regina covered in mud.

"It's not funny!" She fumed, upset at being the object of Emma's laughter.

"Yes, it is. You really should see it from my point of view, it's hilarious." Emma insisted, looking Regina up and down and holding her hand over her mouth to hide her smile.

"Fine, have it your way!" Regina exclaimed, refusing to admit that it was the least bit funny. She hugged herself against another, more violent shiver, which made Emma's laughter die out, her expression sobering as she cast her gaze around the camp. Emma pulled out a travel blanket from the hunter's supplies and sniffed it delicately, her lip curling ever so slightly before nodding.

"It's new, they never used it so I think it is safe for you to use." Emma surprised her by throwing the blanket over her shoulders and holding the two ends together just below her chin. The motion brought them close, so close that Regina could see the small gold flecks surrounding the black ink of Emma's pupils. She was lost in those eyes for one long moment as Emma looked at her speculatively, her expression difficult to read.

She felt Emma's hand tighten around the blanket in front of her, pulling her in closer.

"Didn't I tell you to stay put and call for the Sheriff?" Emma admonished, turning away from her to look up the hill where she was supposed to have been.

There was a sudden whoosh of cold air on her skin when Emma stepped away suddenly, leaving the blanket to fall open before she could catch it in her hands.

.

"I…" Regina's excuse was interrupted by the sound of another male voice. Turning on her heels, she saw a uniformed man coming out of the woods from the other side of the pond.

"Hey, Graham, I have some troublemakers for you." Emma called out to the approaching Sheriff, and then turned back to Regina. "We'll talk about this later at the house."

"Hello, Emma. Nice to meet you finally, Regina." He greeted the two women, his face shadowed by his ball cap. The man smiled at Regina and touched the brim of his cap before turning to Emma and the men groaning on the ground beneath him.

"Jesus Christ, Emma….what the hell did you do to them?" He might have sounded gruff but Regina could see the respect in his eyes as he took in the whole scene. A slight tightening around his mouth appeared as he found the dark carcass near the pond.

"Oh shit, Emma…is that?" He didn't finish, and she just nodded and turned away, which ended that conversation quickly. Emma wasn't big on words, but she loved this land and she was fiercely protective of it and the critters that lived on it. She was dedicated to protecting and bringing back the rare deer that had taken up residence on her farm, their black coats rarer then diamonds and therefore desirable to the hunter seeking a unique trophy.

He looked back down at the two men just starting to try and sit up, their voices thick and ugly as they started cursing at the blonde woman who just took them down. Squatting down next to them, he took in the goose egg forming between the eyes of the louder one, admiring the brilliant colors already decorating his forehead. He sighed; they would have to go to the hospital before checking them in to the jailhouse.

Grabbing the first one under the arm, he hauled him up on his feet, and then attended to the second one.

"Dammit, Sheriff…..I want you to arrest that woman for attacking us." The first one started to carry on, shooting daggers at the blond woman who refused to turn and look at them.

"Oh, really?" Graham drawled, "So, you want me to arrest the owner of this property who, lets see….is a woman who beat up two strapping men like yourselves? Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?" As he started listing charges, the men quieted down as their faces paled in increments, going sheet white when he added poaching and hunting inside a wildlife sanctuary.

Graham started cursing as soon as he started leading the men out to his 4x4.  
"Seriously Emma? Did you really have to do this?" Graham bitched as he watched the two men lurch and stagger across the rough ground. He had put handcuffs on them, but Emma's knot work had proved too difficult to negotiate so he had to cut off the impromptu restraints.

"No, I didn't have to, Graham, but I wanted to."

"But really, the shoelaces too?"

Emma just smirked at the Sheriff as she turned and walked away, Regina's eyes remained glued on the two men for a moment before she turned and followed her.

Emma might not be willing to enjoy her work, but Regina had to smile. It was going to be mighty painful walking to the Sheriffs 4x4 with no belt to hold their pants up and no shoe laces in their boots.

"Oh, and Emma, the Deputy position is still open, if you ever change your mind." Graham called out, causing Emma to misstep once before continuing up the hill.

XXX

Emma grabbed her keys the minute they walked into the house.

"This time, do what I say. Stay in the house until I get back." Emma's voice held a residual angry core that made her sound terse. Regina was learning quickly that the angrier the young woman got, the shorter her sentences became.

"Where are you going?" She asked quietly, she was almost afraid to ask but felt she had a right to know.

"I abhor waste; I am going up to dress out the deer so that his death won't be in vain. He shouldn't just lie out there and rot." Emma's answer left Regina with a vaguely unsettled feeling in her stomach. She could not in a million years see herself doing what Emma was going to do. Just knowing that the meat came from such a regal animal would keep her from enjoying it.

"I know a family that could use the meat, any food actually." Emma must have noticed the conflicting emotions sliding across Regina's face, to offer that explanation. She really was a mystery, this Emma Swan, so passionate about her causes yet practical enough to not let those emotions prevent her from doing something unpleasant when necessary. Emma had taken a bad situation and had turned it to something good by helping a family in need.

XXX

**AN: There are actually black deer in North America and they are super rare. Unfortunately they are not protected but are quite beautiful. We took poetic license to show Emma protecting those things rare and beautiful in the world by making part of her farm a wild life sanctuary (which you can do).**

**AN 2: I will let you in on a secret…..My reviews and follows all come to my phone, and I wait with baited breath for your insight, your questions, and if you must….any adoration for this story line…I beg you, make my phone blow up with email after email…I look forward to hearing from you, it fuels my desire to get to the next chapter…..hint, hint….Once again thank you for all the wonderful reviews. **

**AN 3: thank you to all our followers who have crossed over from Risks and Rewards**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: we do not own OUaT, we do own all original storyline and plot. Do not Archive, do not borrow, beg, or steal! **

**Chapter 10**

Regina walked back into the house after their trip with a lot to think about. After Emma had returned from the pond with a cooler tucked in the back of her jeep, they had headed out farther into the countryside. As the county roads gave way to unmarked gravel, Regina started to wish that Emma would give up on this forced silence that stood between them. Emma could be terse at times, rude even, but this silent treatment was something that left her feeling sick to her stomach that was compounded by the rough bouncing of the jeeps suspension as they turned off of the gravel road and headed deep into the forest. When they had pulled up to the small cabin, the ramshackle building that looked like it was ready to fall over at any moment shocked her. This was poverty at a level she had rarely seen, and she wanted desperately to find out why one elderly woman chose to live here all alone so far away from the world. She would have to wait, however, for Emma to be in a more talkative mood since she hadn't bothered to say a word to her the entire trip. She was however, polite and articulate with the little old lady who came out to meet them, her wizened visage so wrinkled and shrunken it was impossible to tell her age, even though she walked with a straight back still and an air of self sufficiency that belied her real need. The old woman had been grateful for the food, her rheumy eyes wet with unshed tears as she accepted the deer meat. Emma had been wonderfully gentle with the old woman, making sure that the woman's dignity was not insulted even as she ensured that the meat was safely put away for her. This was yet another side of Emma she hadn't seen before, her tender concern for one old woman more pure in heart then most of the charity work she had seen in the past.

Emma had already gone inside and went straight up to her room, closing her door with a final click of the door lock that was meant to substitute for words. Emma didn't want to talk. Well, Regina had had enough of the silent treatment for today, she had put up with it for most of the day and she found herself getting more and more pissed. Emma running up to her room like a spoilt child was the last straw. Yes, she should have followed Emma's instructions to stay on the ridge, but she also wasn't getting any credit for being concerned for the stubborn blond.

Regina walked up the stairs with the straight back and determined demeanor that she usually held in reserve for a particularly difficult court hearing. Emma was going to talk to her. Tapping on Emma's bedroom door, she opened the door after hearing Emma's voice respond without bothering to register what she had said.

"We need to talk."

"Not right now, Regina." Emma stood up to meet her in the middle of her room, her arms crossed in front of her as she stared angrily at the brunette walking boldly into her bedroom.

"Yes, now. Look, I know you are mad at me." Regina started, only to be interrupted by the angry blonde, her green eyes flashing at her as she stood her ground in front of Regina. She was not coming further into Emma's room.

"Damn right." She growled.

"I know I should have followed your instructions…" Regina tried again, only to have her attempt to explain interrupted by Emma's loud voice, her anger making her speech faster then usual as she abandoned her aggressive stance to pace across the throw rug beneath her feet.

"Yes, and do you know why? They were for your own safety. How do you think I would have felt if something had happened to you?" Emma had stopped in front of Regina, her jaw clenching as she practically put her face right in front of Regina's. Looking up, Regina found herself captured by those blazing green eyes gone bright in fury that seemed to bore down into her, making her doubt her own excuses. Her uncertainty gaining under that visual onslaught grew as Emma stared at her, until she seemed satisfied with something she saw reflected in Regina's eyes and finally released her from her gaze with a slow blink.

"That's it exactly." Emma was so sure of herself, so ready to prove that she was so much better suited to protect Regina while she was supposed to just sit back and be the weak damsel in distress. The haughty tone of her response put Regina's back up in an instant. If she had been a cat, she would have hissed at the woman. As it was, she could barely contain her own fury at being dismissed so arbitrarily. She wasn't weak, and she sure wasn't a victim needing rescuing. Emma was so caught up in her own concerns she was blind to the fact that someone else might actually worry about her.

"How do you think I would have felt if something had happened to you, Emma?" She shot back, trying to get her to understand where she was coming from.

"It doesn't matter. Your safety is more important." Emma's tone was resolute, her conviction strong that it was her job to play the protector.

"That's not true." Regina yelled, trying to shock Emma out of her misconception that her safety wasn't just as important as her own. "It would have mattered to me. Do you even realize what it would have done to me if something happened to you and I could have helped?"

"But, you couldn't help and you put yourself in danger by not listening to me. I accept the risk to myself but not to you." Emma's response left no doubt that she had accepted her role as Regina's savior, with all the arrogance and self-sacrificing attitude that it entailed and it infuriated Regina to no end. This conversation was rapidly becoming an arguing match, with most of the yelling going on from Regina's side. She had to shock Emma out of this complacent attitude that her life didn't mean anything.

"Well, to bad because I am not going to let you put yourself in danger while I just stand by and twiddle my thumbs. Especially- after- last -night." Regina's voice lowered intimately as she emphasized each word of her last sentence. Emma had no idea how important she had become to her. She had to have felt the same thing she had.

"That's what this is all about? You just don't want to miss your chance at sex!" Emma spat out in response to the sudden flip flop of her heart when Regina reminded her of the begged for kiss from last night. Emma had spent several hours outside in the cool air, examining the stars hanging low in the sky in a futile search for answers she could accept. There wasn't any, since the only thing she could think of was how much she had wanted to go in the house and find Regina awake and waiting for her in her bed. Emma had waited until she was sure the alluring brunette was fast asleep before mounting the stairs to her room. _If Regina had been awake, if she had called out Emma' name before she had reached the safety of her own room, they would be having a very different conversation right now. _

Emma paled as she realized exactly what she had said, regretting the angry words the second they left her mouth. She was pissed and she was scared and she said the worst possible thing she could to convince the woman standing in front of her that last night was a fluke.

The hurt look in those chocolate brown eyes stabbed through her heart with more pain then any of her wounds had ever given her. _What the hell was she doing?_ Regina hadn't done anything to her but offer her something she knew she was missing in her life. She had no right to hurt the woman because she had issues, it wasn't fair to Regina. The old cliché of "it isn't you, its' me" flashed in her mind, leaving a queasy feeling deep inside her that let her know how much of a coward she was being.

Regina's eyes moistened with tears that were close to falling as she searched Emma's face for truth. _Was this what she truly believed? Did Emma really think that all that she was looking for was a quick lay?_ She could feel one hot tear blurring her vision and threatening to undo her in front of the blonde woman she couldn't keep out her mind, out of her dreams and she couldn't bear it. She turned to go abruptly, only to feel Emma's hand reach out and grab her, forcing her to turn back to face the woman and her hateful words.

"Wait, Regina…I didn't mean that. I'm sorry." Emma's expression was contrite, the guilt she felt for being such an ass written plainly on her face.

She drew a deep breath, hating to see the hope suddenly written on Regina's face as she apologized, knowing that her next words would squash that hope as quickly as she had put it there.

"I still think it is a bad idea, Regina."

"You cannot make that decision for me, Emma. You don't have that right. Not without a damn good explanation." Regina knew when someone was hiding something from her as easily as she could tell when someone was holding their breath. There was no way she could just walk away from what she was feeling, what she knew Emma was feeling without a really good reason. She knew without a doubt that Emma had her reservations, but unless she voiced them, there was no way that Regina could tear down each fallacious belief one at a time.

"It's not a good idea because you are dangerous to me." Emma finally announced. Her eyes focused above Regina's head at something behind her. She couldn't look at her, it was too hard.

"How?" Regina asked; this wasn't what she had expected the blonde woman to say.

"Dangerous, because you make me draw a fine line between need and desire."

Ok, now Regina was slightly confused, what the hell did that mean and why was it bad? Just as she was about to continue her line of questioning, Emma started to explain again. Regina was grateful that the blonde was willing to continue on her own, she was afraid that it was going to be like pulling teeth to get her to talk.

"Dangerous because the need to protect you means that I can't afford to give into my own desires. This stalker of yours, he's a dangerous man and I have no doubt he would harm you if he gets a chance."

Emma's emotions were all over the place, her anger at Regina waxing and waning as she tried to put a voice to the whirlwind of emotions flying around inside her. She wanted Regina, more then she wanted to admit, the desire so palpable she could feel it as a low thrumming sensation vibrating through her body. She paced because she had to, the need to move a poor substitution for the need to move against HER, to move in HER.

_Jesus, she had it bad. _

"Gold tasked me with protecting you, with no regard for protecting me from replaying my greatest fear and greatest failure. He knows me too well, he knew that if you came here for protection, that I would do it. But he didn't give a rats crap what it might do to me."

It was true, Regina's presence had brought back the past with a vengeance, her nightmares returning the first night Regina had arrived. That she had slept through the next night with Regina wrapped in her arms left her feeling slightly troubled, unsure what to think about the power the woman had so quickly gained over her.

Emma's eyes flashed in real anger, her uncle always seemed to think he knew what was best for her, even if it was painful. She found it was easier to be angry at him then Regina. They were both victims of his manipulations. Even if he meant well, it was still obvious that he had hoped if not expected this to happen. It was his fault she had left the farm and joined the service in the first place. She had been so angry at him for making her wait the allotted time before she could gain her inheritance; pushing her so hard in the direction he thought she should go. When a recruiter found her fuming and upset at the strip mall in town, he had invited her in and sold her on the idealism behind joining the military. She was convinced she would be doing something good, and it appealed to her protective nature.

Idealistic people joined the service or the police force or anything else that promised you the opportunity to defend the innocent against all the bad things in the world. Idealistic people like her who quickly found out that being responsible for other people meant knowing that people might live or die on your watch. It didn't take long for Emma to realize that life was way dirtier and not quite as clear cut as she had believed. She thought about those idiot men who had come onto her property just to kill something rare and precious. They did it because they wanted to, not because they had to. They did it for the thrill and the sense of dominion over another being. Men killed other men for the same reason, even if they couch it in nicer terms. Human beings die every day because someone wants something you have, or simply because they have to have something to hate or demonize and you are just the most convenient or easiest target. Deep down inside, all of those excuses are just that...excuses. For the most part, humans kill other humans because they want to, because there is a thrill in it that gets them off one way or another. This stalker was a good example of the worst type of human, he was enjoying toying with Regina, and it brought up a cold black anger in Emma's heart when she thought about him.

When Emma had returned from her tour, she came home to a town full of people who either treated her like a hero, or who treated her like something precious and breakable. She couldn't stand it, that mixture of admiration and pity she saw in her former friends faces. She didn't deserve either, and she sure as hell didn't want to see that same look on Regina's face. She had been dead serious when she had told Regina that she didn't want her, not like she was now. She felt like a hot mess inside. If she told Regina half of what was going on in her head, she risked Regina looking at her like her old friends and half the town did, she couldn't bear it if that ever happened.

"That is the danger, Regina...I know in my heart that I will protect you from this person who you fear so much. If I have to kill him, I will be justified because he is a bad person who was planning to do bad things." Emma stopped, drawing in another ragged breath that burned like fire in her throat.

But, if I fail… if he is better then me, I risk losing you and I risk losing everything I have. I….. I can't lose another person I care for so all I can do; my only choice is to not become involved with you. If I let myself care for you, and this person gets to you, I don't think I could come back from that, not again."

Emma had to force that admission out, her mind screaming *Lie* even as she voiced her excuses for not letting Regina in. She already cared for Regina, the stubborn brunette staring at her as she ranted and raved at her had already taken up residence in her heart. Somehow she had convinced herself that if she managed to avoid the physical aspect of her growing feelings, she could continue to believe that it wouldn't hurt so much when she left.

That is what it really came down to, she would protect Regina until this was done, and then Regina would go back home to Boston. Either way this all played out, she was on the losing end.

Emma's anger had burned red hot and blew out just as quick, leaving her suddenly empty and cold, like the dying embers of a forest fire after a heavy rain. She shivered against the sudden shift inside her, hoping that Regina would understand even as she mourned what could have been if she had just let it happen.

"No, Emma, NO!" Regina's voice was strident, insistent and carried the fire that Emma had tried to extinguish such a short moment ago. The haunted look on Emma's face was the same face she had seen on so many survivors of violence, it was the look of a person who had reached their limit of pain yet knew they would have to endure more if they let themselves feel anything again. It was so much easier to not feel pain and loss if you felt nothing.

Emma hadn't physically left after she finally spoke those tormented words, even though she was desperately trying to close herself off from Regina. Her body language screamed pain. Regina knew she wouldn't take that final step between them either. She chose to take that decision away from the tortured woman.

As a prosecutor, Regina had watched a parade of individuals go by who took lives or damaged souls without a single regard for their victim. Oh, they would act like they regretted their actions, and depending on how good their defense council was, some of them were quite convincing that they were truly sorry that they had caused someone else so much pain. The problem was that regret in hindsight didn't fix the victim who was permanently disfigured, who woke up screaming in the night from nightmares, or who would never wake up again to either issue, because some asshole thought it was their right to arbitrarily take a life. What really was the kicker was that the same lawless person would fight, kicking and screaming about the violation of their rights if everything was not done exactly within the letter of the law. She hated it, the smirks and knowing smiles of the ones who got away on a technicality because someone didn't dot their I's or crossed their T's. The bad one's didn't care that they refused to live by the rules that they demanded from their society, yet gleefully used those same rules to get away with murder, literally. That was what finally broke Regina of her passion for being a Prosecuting Attorney, but not in the way other people thought it had. It had become something of a game to her. One where she knew the person was guilty, even when she couldn't prove it, but it had become more important to just put them away. Even if that meant ensuring that they would serve time for a lesser crime, even if they were never convicted of the crime she knew they committed, she made sure that everything else they had ever did came back to haunt them. Her last case had been that way, and it still haunted her to this day. She couldn't peg a man for the murder of his wife, so she had to drop the case even though she knew he was guilty. She was, however, able to successfully prosecute him for a myriad of other crimes, mostly drug and assault charges that ensured he would be removed from society, at least just a little while. So, when Emma talked about her fears of losing herself, of losing to this person who has no regard for other peoples lives, Regina wanted to tell her that she understood what she was going thru more then she wanted to.

Regina took one purposeful step towards Emma bringing their bodies close together, only a mere millimeter separated them from touching. She could taste Emma's breath; feel the heat from her lips as she waited to close that infinitesimal space between them that felt as wide as the Grand Canyon.

Regina slid her arms around Emma's neck, threading her fingers through the soft tresses to find the soft skin beneath. Her muscles were as tight as wire cord, unyielding beneath her touch as she circled her fingertips gently against the smooth flesh, willing her to relax into her touch.

She didn't press, she didn't move, she simply whispered against Emma's lips.

"If you truly don't want this, you need to stop me now."

Emma breathed in those words with a sharp intake of air, her lungs burning as she held the promise of Regina's words as long as she could before exhaling. Emma's head reeled as she tried to find some excuse, some reason to stop what was happening. She couldn't find anything other than the thin voice in her head that warned her that this would end in pain and loneliness. She almost laughed at that, she was already in pain and suffering from loneliness, why shouldn't she enjoy this brief respite. For years people had come into and out of her life, and she had survived, why she couldn't simply accept what Regina was offering for the time they had together? When Regina left, she would deal with it then, but at least she would have some happy memories to live on when their time here was done. Buddy had admonished her that she wasn't living, just existing, and she had to admit he had been right. Regina had scared the crap out of her because she had reminded her how to be ALIVE.

Regina almost gave up, almost fled in embarrassment at her bold statement that Emma seemed immune to. She closed her eyes, feeling the tears she had held at bay for so long burn her face as she prepared to walk away from the woman who stood stonily in front of her. When she felt the slightest brush of soft lips against hers, she almost thought she had imagined it. When those lips met hers with all the intensity of held back fears and unfed passion, she hungrily devoured those emotions with her own lips. She opened her mouth, deepening the kiss until she felt nothing but passion and desire and need flowing between them. Emma's strong arms gathered around her, her hands travelling the length of her back until she reached Regina's ass. With a sudden startling movement, Emma pulled Regina up onto her, the smaller brunette instinctively wrapping her legs around the taller blonde's waist as Emma strode easily towards her bed.

Regina fell onto the bed in a most alluring manner, her dark tresses spread out around her head like a shadowed halo as she gazed up at Emma rising above her on one elbow as she popped one button at a time from Regina's shirt.

"Emma?" Regina asked breathily, her hypersensitive skin screaming in need of Emma's touch. Emma looked up from her lazy attempts to unbutton Regina's shirt, her eyes dark and smoky looking as she smiled knowingly at the woman lying beneath her. Nimble fingers popped the last button, leaving the silken fabric of her blouse free to slither open across her skin, pooling along her ribs and leaving her stomach and chest exposed to the cool air. Hot fingertips trailed lightly across her ribs and stomach, tracing lines across her skin that left a trail of fire along her skin. When Emma's fingers trailed close to her waistline, her fingertips dipping lightly beneath the fabric to wander through soft curls for a moment before returning to safer country, Regina moaned loudly. She could feel wetness pooling between her legs in response to those promising hands, her arousal almost painful in its need to find some release. Emma's slow teasing was absolute torture. There was no way the woman could maintain such restraint, not for long. Regina found herself begging for a way to make the maddening woman lose some of that control and just take her. She wanted Emma's strength against her, claiming her, not these gentle ministrations.

"Emma, please?" Regina begged, her eyes pleading with Emma. She didn't even know what she was begging for, just that she needed MORE.

It was as if a dam had been released at her words, Emma covered her, bringing their lips crashing together as she claimed her mouth with her tongue and teeth. The sharp bite of teeth on her lip was a welcome pain as pleasure coursed through her body at the feel of Emma's body against hers. Those searching fingertips, now not so gentle, found her breasts, her nipples pressing hard against the rough fabric of her bra as Emma rolled the hard nubs between her fingertips. She arched her back into the touch, eager for the contact between them. Somewhere, somehow, Emma had unbuttoned Regina's slacks, her hand snaking beneath her panties to cup her sex with the palm of her hand.

"Fuck, Emma…" Regina panted when Emma parted her folds with one slim finger, dipping into the waiting wetness before sliding her fingers along the hard ridge hidden between swollen lips. Finding her ready, Emma slipped her fingers inside, feeling the silken muscle push against her sudden intrusion before grasping at her fingers and drawing her in deeper. Dipping her head down, Emma captured Regina's nipple between her teeth, her mouth working against the lacy fabric as she sucked and bit against the sensitive tissue. Regina arched her back up against her, her hips bucking wildly against her hand, driving her fingers into her as she writhed beneath her. Pressing her palm against Regina's mound to increase the pressure on her swollen clit, Emma let the woman use her own movement to bring herself close to the edge. When she felt Regina's movement lose its rhythm and her breath became ragged and sharp edged, she took over, rocking her fingers back and forth inside the heat and wet of her core until she felt the smooth muscles contract around her, holding her fingers in a tight grip while Regina rode her passion to its final explosive conclusion.

Emma watched Regina's face intently as her orgasm took her. God, she was a magnificent creature to watch as she let her passion ride her. Hell, she was magnificent to look at any time, Emma amended. She smiled evilly when she moved her hand away from Regina's center, enjoying the sudden gasp of pleasure as her fingers slid across the sensitive bundle of nerves as she pulled her hand up and out of Regina's ruined slacks. Her own arousal felt slick and hot between her thighs and she had only one coherent thought running through her brain.

"You have too many clothes on." Emma murmured, nuzzling her lips against Regina's ear as she spoke.

"So do you, my dear" Regina remarked, hoping Emma would get the hint. After all, she was more unclothed then her counterpart.

"To true." Emma conceded, all to ready to shed her constricting clothing. She wanted to feel Regina against her, skin to skin. Emma sat up, pulling her flannel shirt off and tossing it into her corner. She laced her fingers along the bottom edge of her tank top, her gaze locked with the disheveled woman laid out on her bed. She was enjoying the slow tease, but was almost outmaneuvered by a small pink tongue darting out between Regina's lips as she moistened her lips suggestively. Her tank slid up her belly slowly, exposing her abdomen to Regina's hungry gaze that followed the movement of Emma's fingertips trailing the path of the pale fabric. It was absolutely delicious torture for both of them. Regina looked spellbound, unable to look away from Emma's snake charmer routine, while Emma's hands practically trembled in desire to just rip her tank off and cover the woman beneath her with her naked body. The universe dimmed and shrunk from her awareness until just the two of them remained. She could hear Regina's coarse breath in time with her own, her heart beat thundering in her head and thrumming through her body as it sang in tune to her arousal. Nothing else existed around her except for hot skin, wet heat, and the promise of sweet release held in a pair of hazy brown eyes and full red lips.

The dim room was suddenly lit up with a harsh bright light that flooded through her bedroom window.

Emma rolled off the bed to land silently onto the thick rug insulating the wooden floor beneath her. She crouched there a second, resting on the balls of her feet as the fingertips of her left hand sank into the thick weave. Her right hand found the 9mm hidden between the mattress and box springs, the protruding grip finding her palm in a practiced movement as she drew the flat black weapon from its hiding place. Turning her face away from the bright white light streaming through the far bedroom window to protect her night vision, Emma waited for her brain to catch up to her body. Something had sent her into high alert, she just didn't know quite what it was. Rummaging through the last few moments, she had missed a sound from outside that didn't belong, but it hadn't registered until the security light activated, tumbling her out of the bed and onto the floor, her heart pounding in her chest and thrumming in her ears as adrenaline fueled alertness sought the source of her flight or fight response.

Scanning the room and the hallway through the open door, she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, still...there was something not quite right. The security light shouldn't have activated unless something had set it off, which meant something or someone was outside.

Looking over her shoulder as she headed for the stairwell, Emma spoke to Regina in an urgent tone that held hard iron within it.

"Stay here."

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**AN: Thank you for all the kind reviews. We will continue to post consistently but spring is getting here and we have a farm to get ready for the season and we want to be fair to all of our readers from our different stories so we are having to spread out the updates a little more. This does not mean that we are losing interest however in this story. We will continue to update.**

**AN: Does anyone else think that My pussy tastes like pepsi cola is the best lyric ever for a song to start out with. The song is of course Cola by Lana Del Rey. If you know of other ones let me know I love music and I always look for new songs.**

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**Remember reviews do help keep us motivated and let us know we are on the right track. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: We don't own OUaT, but we retain rights to original plots and storyline. **

**Chapter 11**

Emma slipped quietly down the stairs, choosing her steps carefully to avoid the creaks and groans that old wood was prone to protest with as she peered into the darkened rooms around her. She held her gun at the ready and stayed in the shadows as she went from room to room, checking to make sure that the doors were still locked and the windows were still intact. She had grown up in this house and knew exactly where everything was so she simply scanned lightly, relying on her memory to sense if something was out of order. When she got to the back door where the light had been triggered, she peered cautiously out the window, testing the door knob to make sure the door was still locked before twisting the handle carefully and opening the door a crack. Letting out her breath, Emma felt a huge sense of relief that no one was in her house. Cautiously opening the door, she avoided looking at the bright circle of light spreading away from the house so she wouldn't ruin her night vision. Stepping out onto the darkened porch, she stood perfectly for a full minute; just listening. Nothing sounded out of the ordinary, _so what tripped the lights? _Taking a convoluted path out to the barn and the garage, she avoided tripping any of the other lights she had placed around the yard. Anyone else wandering into the yard would have tripped more than one light. She didn't go in the barn, trusting the horses to let her know if anyone was disturbing their sleep. A soft nicker floated across the night air when Casper sensed her presence. _Good boy_. She spoke so quietly that no one more than a foot away could have heard her, knowing that the horses' sensitive hearing would pick up the almost silent words. Scanning the windows of the farmhouse from where she stood, she was gratified to not see Regina's dark head peeking out of her bedroom window. She wasn't sure if the stubborn attorney would stay put like she had asked.

She took another route back to the house, padding quietly in her bare feet across the cool grass in almost pitch black conditions after the security light blinked out on its own. She had programmed the timer to reset itself after 10 minutes. The whole setup was new, she had upgraded her security system when she had agreed to take in Regina. She would have to have a look at the programming, maybe there was still some bugs to work out of the system?

"Everything seems ok." Emma announced as she walked back into her room. Regina was still sitting on the edge of the bed, her face pale and solemn as she looked at Emma with large brown eyes. She was trying very hard not to look scared, but Emma could tell by the tension around her eyes and mouth that she more upset than she was letting on. She had also made an attempt to look a little less disheveled then Emma had left her. Thankful that the room was dark and her cheeks were already flushed from the cool air, Emma felt her cheeks go warm as her mind flashed back to the moments before the light had flashed on. Her fingers flexed against the cold steel in her right hand, her fingers had still been slick and wet from Regina's climax when she had grabbed for the weapon. Regret flooded through her, bitter as a winter wind as her thoughts flash forwarded to what might have been if the security light hadn't sent her out into the cold night. Fear followed fast on that emotion when she imagined what could have happened if Regina's stalker had found them while she was fucking the irresistible brunette. Or worse yet, what if it had been while Regina had been touching her? The thought of Regina's hands on her body sent delicious chills down her back that Emma forcibly ignored. Would she have been aware enough, fast enough to stop an intruder if she had been so pre-occupied?

"Thank you for staying here." Emma spoke sincerely to the woman sitting quietly next to her. She had joined her on the edge of the bed, leaving about a foot of space between them before sliding her 9 mil back in its hiding place with a practiced movement. Regina scooted over until she could feel Emma's arm touching hers, wanting to take her hand but afraid that the blonde woman would pull away from her. "Are you ok?" Emma asked.

"Yes, I think I am. It was just too much, especially on top of everything else that happened today." Regina didn't feel Ok, she had been frightened for Emma and for herself. She had been so wrapped up in wanting the blonde woman in her arms that she had forgotten that a very real danger was somewhere out there and probably looking for her. Now she was sitting next to the woman she wanted so bad it made her teeth hurt. It was too bad that she was too busy gritting her teeth together to keep them from chattering against the cold fear gripping her heart. Her outwardly calm demeanor didn't fool Emma, who relieved Regina of her quandary by wrapping her arm around Regina's shoulder, trying to offer some form of comfort.

"I understand that, I really do." She replied, completely empathetic to the other woman's misery. Regina suddenly turned towards her, looking into sober green eyes that flickered between concern and something else. That look in Emma's eyes intrigued Regina, the look was soft, just shy of intimate and told her that this woman had not forgotten their abbreviated time together. It was a look of unrequited passion, held at bay by necessity and sheer force of will. It was a dangerous look, because it almost made Regina forget what she had to say. Clearing her throat, she looked down for just a moment, needing to break that connection between them in order to think straight.

"Emma, I can't handle always watching you run into danger. Where, I am just forced to sit and wait and hope you are ok." Regina admitted, hating the uninvited presence of unshed tears, blurring her vision and making her eyelids sting from the salt. "I hate feeling so helpless." Her voice rose in frustration as she was finally able to get it all out, what she was feeling as she sat in the quiet and the dark, waiting for a gunshot or a scream that would be the end of the woman she… ah, cared for deeply already. Regina blinked rapidly, amending her errant thought before it could form in her head again. The blonde woman holding her in her arms was exciting, funny and sexy as hell, and Regina wanted her more than she had wanted any woman in a long while, but she couldn't harbor any romantic feelings towards Emma. Her life was in Boston, not in a little town so small its name was more ironic then quaint.

"I understand, and I have an idea that might help with that but you will need to promise me something first."

"What is your idea?"

"First, you need to promise that you will not rush into danger again." Emma put her hand up to Regina's chin, keeping her from turning away as she waited for Regina to abandon the stubborn set of her jaw.

"Argh, fine!" Regina gave in, finding it hard to think while Emma was touching her face. She so wanted that firm hand to soften into a caress.

"No! Say-I promise Emma, I won't rush into danger again." Regina had to look twice at her before realizing that the persistent woman actually meant for her to say the words out loud.

"Fine." She spat out, irritated that the blonde had actually cornered her so easily.

"I promise, Emma, I won't rush into danger again." She repeated in an almost bored voice, looking straight into serious green eyes. She was a lawyer, she could lie to someone else's face without a single twitch that would give her away.

_Unless you are in danger, _Regina finished the rest of her promise silently.

Emma narrowed her eyes at the sincere smile washing across the brunette's regal face. She wasn't completely sure she believed the dark haired lawyer, but she decided to tell Regina her idea anyway.

"I want you to learn self-defense and how to use the 9 mil. That way you will at least be able to protect yourself." She felt Regina shiver against her when she added, "Just in case."

"When can we start?"

"Tomorrow morning after our ride. Why don't you crawl into bed and get some sleep. I know you must be tired."

Regina looked down at her pants and shirt and then at Emma and then at the bed. She didn't want to be alone, but she also didn't want to admit that to the tough as nails ex-soldier that had just offered to teach her to shoot and fight. Besides, the offer had possible side benefits, she hadn't given up on getting Emma back in bed and back into her arms. After all, Emma hadn't found anything outside, so it was probably a false alarm, right? Maybe the stalker had moved on to a more exciting target.

"Why don't you crawl into bed with me?" she purred, trying to draw Emma into a kiss, her mixed emotions making her bold. She really didn't want to be alone tonight. She frowned when Emma pulled back after only the briefest of kisses, a mere brushing of lips that served only to frustrate her more.

"I don't think this is a good idea tonight, Regina." Emma admonished, walking over to her dresser and retrieving a pair of boxers and a t shirt for Regina to sleep in.

"Here are some clothes to sleep in. I would feel better if you stayed in here tonight. I still don't know what tripped the lights." Regina's heart soared at Emma's words. She was afraid she was going to have to play the weak damsel in distress to stay with Emma tonight, a prospect that left a bad taste in her mouth. That really was the problem, she realized, she wasn't a victim and didn't see herself as weak and she hated it that Emma might see her that way. She would never play that role willingly.

"So I can sleep in here with you, but you won't let me finish what you started earlier?" She pouted, turning away from the source of her frustration to lay the offered clothes out on the bed.

"It's not safe." Emma replied, thinking it was quite reasonable. She was getting frustrated. Why couldn't Regina understand that something had tripped those lights? Something that could still be out there. Something that might be dangerous.

"Fine, have it your way- for tonight." Regina tossed her response over her shoulder as she undressed, not bothering to leave the room as she quickly shed her outfit. Regina smiled evilly, she could feel Emma's eyes glued on her body as she stripped, practically feeling the heat of her stare along her spine and mentally cupping her firm ass. It was a poor excuse for a victory, but she would take it, however small it was. Throwing the t and shorts on after teasing Emma unmercifully, she threw back the covers and flopped into Emma's bed, purposefully facing away from her as she beat her pillow into a submissive posture before resting her head on the abused pillow.

Emma hadn't missed Regina's addition of "for tonight" for their truce. The woman was not ready to give up, but Emma wasn't budging on her decision. When Emma said it wasn't a good idea, she had meant it, and not just for tonight as Regina was ready to believe. Seeing as Regina was already upset at her for not wanting to continue their previous activities, she didn't see how telling her it wasn't going to happen again anytime soon would be conducive to a restful night. As much as she would love the distraction, she couldn't afford it, not until Emma could figure out if it was safe. It wouldn't be wise.

Emma crawled into her side of the bed and stiffly lay there on her back while Regina ignored her. She didn't know what to say to break the tension between them.

"Regina…" she started, then stopped when she couldn't find the words to fix things.

"Yes." Regina answered in a small voice. Looking over her shoulder at the blonde woman lying next to her with her hands crossed behind her head. She had been angry and it had brought out her worst side. She knew intellectually that she was being unfair to Emma. She was just trying to protect her, but it bothered her that Emma didn't expect anyone to do the same. Now, she wouldn't even let Regina reciprocate. Some physical comfort would have been nice. Yeah, right. Regina had to be honest with her, Emma had taken over and taken her, and she had liked it a lot. But, she was no pillow princess. She was used to being in charge in the bedroom, and the fact that she had missed touching Emma, tasting her, and watching her come undone in her arms was a huge itch she was being told she couldn't scratch. It bothered her greatly.

"Never mind ….have a good night." Emma sighed.

Regina rolled over and faced the other woman, taking in the stiff posture. "Can I at least have a kiss if you won't let me make love to you?"

"Yes." Emma pulled Regina to her and kissed her softly, almost pulling back when she felt Regina running her tongue across her lips, asking for permission to deepen it. She wasn't made of stone, no matter what she said. Emma almost forgot everything but the sweet taste of full scarlet lips as Regina moved closer, her body half draping across hers, one bare leg trapping hers as she crawled up Emma's long frame. Emma moaned and gave into the kiss, swearing to herself that it wouldn't go farther than that. That just kissing Regina was going to be enough, would be safe enough for her to indulge in. Regina felt so good in her arms and she moved so deliciously against her. When Regina moaned into her mouth, the erotic sound sending reverberations through her body that set off sparks deep inside her, Emma knew it was time to pull back, even if she didn't want to. It took all of her military training to impose strict self-control on her body and move away from Regina's talented lips. Shifting her body so that Regina's body lay next to hers instead of being wrapped against her more sensitive bits, she tucked Regina's head against the crook of her shoulder as she held her tight in her arm. Tipping her face down to run her lips against the thick tresses brushing softly beneath her chin, she kissed the top of Regina's head gently in apology.

"Sleep now, we have a busy day tomorrow."

**A/N2: Sorry for the slow build, but I hope you find it delicious. Emma didn't find anything, but that doesn't mean there wasn't anything there *wink* *wink*…..until next chapter….**

**A/N3: As always, reviews are coveted and kept in little jars as souvenir's….please feed the authors these little tidbits of love?**


	12. Chapter 12

**See prior chapters for disclaimers**

**Chapter 12**

"Again."

The terse command was met with a muttered curse from the dark haired woman laying prone on a padded mat that was supposed to cushion her falls, but just made it more likely she would fall several more times before the ache would finally register down her spine. It had been two long weeks of training with Emma, two weeks of drill sergeant worthy barking as the blonde woman went over martial arts moves that she thought the smaller brunette would find handy "just in case". Two weeks of bruises, cursing, sweating and frustration as the two women sparred in Emma's basement for hours on end. It was also two weeks to the day that Regina had been left ruffled, half clothed and still reeling from the intense orgasm that had left her breathless and then abandoned as Emma went on point from a damn light going off. The closest she was getting to any contact time with Emma now was their workouts. This was not how Regina wanted to spend hours sweating, grunting and grasping the tall blonde who made her suffer even more by the form fitting spandex she favored wearing. Each time Emma grabbed her, she was supposed to move in and go limp, but it was damn hard to concentrate when all she wanted to do was throw the stronger woman down on the mat and have a real workout.

Emma ignored the baleful look on her sparring partners face, holding her hand up to help the sweat drenched woman off of the floor. It was amazing how beautiful the woman managed to look even after a hard workout. The damp tresses looked almost black from the moisture, her chest and face were flushed a lovely pink color from the exertion, her chest heaving from the exertion making it difficult for Emma to concentrate on the forms she was trying to teach her. It wasn't enough for her to know how to perform the moves, she had to be able to do it from muscle memory, instantly, without thinking about it. But most of all, it was the flashes of anger burning brightly in her chocolate brown eyes that made Emma regret not finishing what she started two weeks ago. The brunette attorney was definitely nothing like what she had expected, and the slow, simmering sensuality that lay just beneath the surface of her public persona could not hide behind those expressive eyes.

"Again." It was the thirtieth time Emma had repeated that command, and Regina was over it, done. She was pissed and turned on, and so damn frustrated over the entire situation that she wasn't paying attention when the object of both her fantasies and her irritation grabbed her again. She reacted instinctively, driven to strike out at the woman who denied her for so long, yet kept tempting her with her presence. She let Emma pull her in before turning boneless, falling back just as she put effort into her motion, pulling the blonde down and over her as she purposefully fell to the mat. Her momentum carried her, and she suddenly found herself straddling the lithe form of the tall blonde, who lay prostrate beneath her thighs. Triumph flashed in Regina's eyes before her brain ground to a halt and shifted gears, her body reacting to the intimate position almost instantly. Her hands were twisted in the thin material of Emma's tank top, bringing her close to the shocked woman's face, who seemed just as surprised that Regina had managed to flip her as she was.

The ragged sound of their breathing was the only noise in the quiet expanse of the large basement, and it sounded overly loud in Regina's ears, competing with the sound of blood rushing like a crimson torrent at her temples in time with her pounding heart. The two women staring at each other for what seemed like eternity, neither sure what to do next. It was Regina who moved first, her head dipping lower as if unable to fight the magnetic pull that Emma's lips seem to hold on her. The attraction was mutual, no matter how much the blonde protested, it was written in her face, in the slight part of her lips that revealed, straight white teeth. Brilliant green eyes were held captured by Regina's intense gaze. There was no modest lowering of eyelids, no flutter of lashes or looking away in order to break the moment. Instead, Emma just looked at her, her expression unreadable until Regina felt a softening beneath her as muscles loosened under her grip. Still, Regina had to be sure, if anything to get even for all of the adamant refusals and protests she had suffered over the last few weeks. She let her lips brush softly against the open mouth, inhaling the spicy scent of the other woman's skin, the heady odor of bergamot and sandalwood reminding Regina of the bath oils that Emma favored. The image of Emma laying in her bathtub flashed through Regina's head, reminding her of the one and only time she had seen Emma completely naked. A soft growl erupted in Regina's throat, her nostrils flaring in response to the memory as her tongue tasting the salt on hesitant lips as she tried to deepen the feather light kiss.

Suddenly, Regina was straddling something a little less complacent as Emma's body tensed and bucked violently beneath her, rolling her so quickly her head spun and she found herself back on the mat again, bright green eye's watching her closely as a very warm and solid body held her tightly pinned. Regina gasped as that golden head lowered itself towards her, the gold flecks hidden in the depths of emerald green disappearing in a sea of black as Emma's pupils dilated until only a corona of pale green held the inky black pools at bay. The kiss that followed was quick, powerful, and left her completely breathless as Emma's full lips pressed against hers forcefully, a quick tongue darting in to slide against hers before withdrawing, leaving only a taste and a promise that made Regina beat her fist against the hard foam mat in frustration.

"You aren't focused..." Emma accused the woman trapped beneath her, like it was her fault Emma was able to overpower her so easily.

"Me? Need I remind you that you just kissed me?"

"It was to prove how easily distracted you get." Emma climbed off of Regina.

"I flipped you, didn't I?" Regina was getting seriously frustrated, especially since she was suddenly talking to Emma's retreating back.

"You know what… I'm done." _Done with the day, done with Emma and seriously done with being teased and then left gasping for air like some fucked up version of catch and release for lawyer's day at the lake. _ As Regina attempted to storm past the irritating blond, Emma turned and reached out to grab her arm.

"Done with what?" She demanded angrily, snatching her hand away from Regina's arm when she realized what she was doing. Her face paled as she examined her hand for a moment as if the thing had gone mad, wiping her palm across her thigh as if she could erase the physical memory of grasping Regina's arm in anger.

"You, you keep pushing me away when I know you want me as much as I want you. Well, I can't do it anymore. Nothing has happened in over two weeks so I am going back home."

"It's not safe…." Emma argued. Confusion and anger struggled with fear and made her frown at the stubborn brunette who was stabbing a finger at her as she made her points.

"I'll take my chances. Look at you; you are so stressed out trying to keep me safe from an unknown entity that you aren't taking care of yourself." Taking a deep breath to bolster her, Regina swallowed hard before continuing. "I care too much about you to watch you destroy yourself for me, so I'm done." She was surprised at how hard that was to say, the words sticking in her throat and raking across her vocal cords as sharp as a razor before turning to hard lumps of clay that made it difficult to swallow. There were too many painful truths held in that one sentence.

"It's still safer here. No matter what, you know I can protect you." Emma insisted, not realizing that she would have sounded more convincing if she hadn't retreated from the smaller woman, her arms wrapped around her middle as if to ward off some invisible blow. The hurt posture wasn't lost on Regina, if anything it reinforced what she already knew, Emma was hurting. Oh, it was a deep hurt, and had nothing to do with any physical injury, but it was there and it was tearing her up inside. The military might have patched up their soldier before letting her go, but they sure as hell forgot to deal with the psychological shrapnel left behind. Regina let go of her anger, it wasn't helping either of them and it wasn't going to get them anywhere. When she spoke again, her words weren't angry anymore.

"Emma, I hear you at night. Just because you are sleeping on the couch doesn't mean I can't hear you crying out. You won't talk to me except to bark orders. I just want to be there for you and you won't let me, so to save both of us I am going back to Boston. I will take my chances with the stalker." Regina finished sadly; her shoulder's sagging in resignation. There was really nothing else left to say. She walked past Emma and out of the house, needing fresh air. She really liked Emma and she cared way too much to be the cause of her distress. She ignored Emma calling out to her, knowing if she turned around she wouldn't be able to hold to her decision to leave. I was too easy to just fall into those soulful green eyes, a sensation much more pleasant then drowning, but taking her breath away just as completely.

Standing in the shade of the porch, Regina could feel the heat of the day carried on the soft breeze, the bright summer sun mocking her dark mood as she stood in the pale shadows. A soft nicker brought her attention to the nearby barn, making her smile sadly. Casper must have heard her come out and assumed it was time for a treat. Sighing, she headed out into the bright sunlight, the heat of the day settling on her shoulders and warming her body as she strode down the packed dirt path towards the small solace the soft muzzle and warm eyes of the palomino would offer. The last couple of weeks had given her a great appreciation for a sympathetic shoulder to rest her head on, even if that shoulder was furry and belonged to a 1,000 pound blonde who didn't drive her crazy.

XXX

Regina screamed and Emma moved. The 9 mil appeared like magic in her right hand, at the ready as she ran towards the noise, her careful plunge into the bright sunlight making it difficult to zero in on Regina's location. One of the horses whinnied loudly and she whirled around to trot towards the shadowed opening of the barn to the left of her. Blinking against the sudden gloom, Emma stood stock still for a moment, listening to the nervous shuffle of the horses in their stalls while her eyes adjusted. An odd scrambling sound was followed by a high pitched squeak she couldn't identify at first, but when she found Regina being held at bay by a family of angry raccoons she couldn't help it. Tucking the pistol behind her, she managed to reduce her impulse to laugh her ass off, chuckling at the cute squeak her normally dignified looking attorney was emitting.

"Oh, my God Regina, they are just raccoons." Emma laughed as the tension drained from her body. There were five of them, two adults and three babies clumped in a frantic mass of movement as the parents tried to keep the curious youngsters away from the humans looming above them. The roiling throng of masked polecats dancing along the wooden tack box outside of the stall made her stop and think.

"I wonder if they are…? They must be setting off the light." The security lights weren't set to go off if a small animal wandered by, but all of them together? It was very possible, their combined mass would be sufficient.

Emma noticed something odd. One of the raccoons lying across the top of the stall wasn't paying attention to Emma and Regina, instead, it kept trying to get into Casper's stall but there was no way down. It appeared to be in distress and Emma was worried it might be sick.

"Regina, get behind me. Something is off with that one over there." Emma slowly made her way over to the stall, trying to get a better look at the creature. Shiny black button eyes peered at her for a moment before returning to the shadowy depths of the stall, tiny hand like paws grasped at the stalls edge, almost slipping as it tried desperately to find a way into Casper's stall. Looking closer, she saw the problem. A tiny ball of striped fluff was running back and forth along the edge of the stall, popping up out of the wood shavings as it tried to find a foothold out of the stall holding a very large and very unhappy horse in it. Apparently one of its babies had fallen into the stall with Casper and it couldn't get to it.

Emma opened the stall and approached the tiny animal slowly, relieved to see it appeared uninjured. Carefully keeping a watchful eye on the distressed parent she picked it up, taking it out of the stall. Casper was a good boy, avoiding the raccoon and Emma like the plague, his wide eyes and stance broadcasting his greatest desire. _Get the weird little creature hissing at me out of my stall_! Emma held the tiny creature carefully as she walked out of the stall, watching the older raccoon follow along the edge of the tall stall.

"Do you want to pet it before I give it back to its mother?" Emma asked Regina while holding the baby securely in her hands.

Regina reached out a hesitant hand and lightly stroked the tiny raccoon, surprised at how coarse its baby fur felt.

"It's really adorable." she cooed, in awe of the gentle way Emma handled the baby creature.

"I need to give it back to its momma now." Emma said, putting it down and stepping back with Regina in tow so the mother could come and retrieve its offspring. Emma couldn't keep the smile off her face as the raccoon ushered its young away after a quick backward glance. Regina turned so that she was holding Emma by the arms. "You have so many sides. Look at how gentle you were just now." She ran her fingers along the sinuous muscles of Emma's forearms, so strong yet able to be so tender. It was that hidden tenderness that made Regina's heart break,

"I can't keep doing this to you." She uttered in a somber tone, walking away from the tall blonde to pet Casper. Free from the tiny pest in his stall, he was insistently seeking reassurance by tossing his head at them from the stall door.

"Regina…" Emma tried to speak, but she was held off on saying anything else by an upraised hand demanding her silence.

"Look, I'm not an idiot, nor am I deaf or blind. I told you, just because you've taken to sleeping on the couch doesn't mean I can't hear you stay up most of the night, that I don't hear your nightmares. You do know you talk in your sleep, right?" Regina demanded, her jaw set stubbornly as she faced off with the stubborn blonde. She sounded angry. Anger was easy, and it didn't require crying. If she let herself think too much about what she was about to do, she would lose it. Casper was getting the benefit of her inner turmoil, his large head resting on her shoulder while she ran her hand up and down the silky nose.

"How are you supposed to protect me, when you spend half your time avoiding me, and the other half running away from your past? It's not worth it to me Emma, to watch you not eat, not sleep, always vigilant to the point of making yourself sick, for what? So you can protect me when or if this stalker ever shows up? At the rate your going, you are going to be useless to me and to yourself! I would rather leave now than watch this slow spiral you've fallen into, it hurts too much to watch you do this to yourself-because I know you are doing it for me and I can't be responsible for this..." Regina gestured vaguely...taking in the haunted expression, the dark circles under Emma's eyes.

"This is not working, Emma, I should just leave and go back to Boston, you can't be responsible for me like this. Good God! I blame Gold, he had to know what this would do to you, and I can't be a party to it anymore." She was angry again, but not at Emma. She knew Gold loved his niece, but he always thought he knew what was best for everyone, smiling that secret smile of his that was one part condescension and one part superiority complex. . He was never above manipulating a situation if he thought he was right, even if he was gambling with the heart of his one and only beloved niece. But, Regina sighed, that was an argument for another time. She would deal with him when she saw him again.

Regina's rant finally died down, mostly because she couldn't make herself voice her concluding argument. There was nothing left to say but "I'm leaving." She couldn't continue staying at the farm the way things were. Ensuring her safety was one thing, but destroying Emma in the process was another.

"No, I don't want you to go, Regina, really I don't. It's just...just...so damn hard." the admittance came with a defeated slump of sun kissed shoulders.

Regina's heart softened, she didn't want to go either, but unless something changed, she couldn't stay. Emma was right, it was too hard.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. But as long as you let the past, let your nightmares rule you, as long as they hold so much power over you that you can't let yourself enjoy life to its fullest, you are not really living." Soft hands reached up to capture Emma's face between them, turning her to face the shorter brunette. Chocolate brown eyes sought her out, their dark depths capturing reluctant green eyes and holding them firmly in her gaze. "Look at me, I am offering you this day and whatever days we have together and it is enough. All you have to do is choose to live for this day and let yourself feel!" Regina's voice was urgent, husky and low with emotion as she waited for Emma to decide for them if it was time for her to walk away.

Emma's body tingled with unseen potential, the raised skin sort of feeling when you get when you stand outside in a storm and lightning flashes so close to you that static electricity caresses every nerve ending in your body, making you aware of every cell down the very tips of your hair. Regina was right; she was so busy sifting through the cold ashes of her past looking for her future that she failed to drink fully of the now. She had left her cup empty, afraid that if she filled it with life, it would turn sour in her hand and she would be left thirsty forever. Now she realized that her fears were based on wanting to hold onto that cup, life would only turn sour if she continued to gaze into its liquid depths and not drink deeply from it. Regina was offering the now, she wasn't asking for her to forget the past. Emma took a deep breath, daring to believe what Regina was telling her. The past had colored so much of her future, but she couldn't let the fear of what might happen keep her from experiencing what could happen.

The tingle became an ache as her body let itself waken to the feelings the other woman's touch. She trembled as the sensation curled in on itself, coiling low in her belly and sending tendrils of liquid fire snaking through her to embrace her heart, melting the fear away. Energy surged through her, potential demanding action and she vibrated with the need to taste life on the lips of the dark haired woman watching her closely with those expressive eyes that held a glimmer of hope mingled with banked desire.

"You are a very persuasive woman, counselor." Emma breathed, moving into the other woman's personal space, pushing her against the prickly height of the hay stacked behind her.

"It is what I do best." Regina managed to gasp after Emma's lips captured hers, kissing her soundly before abandoning their sweet taste for the flavor of the tender flesh at her neck.

"Is it?" Emma asked enigmatically, reclaiming the fiery mouth with her lips and tongue.

XXX

**AN: Ok folks here it is the next chapter. Do you want to see them continue from the barn? Are you ready for some swan queen sex….review and let us know **

**AN 2: the baby raccoon thing actually did happen to me. It was the cutest little thing and it had fallen into a horse stall and couldn't get out and the mother couldn't get to it so I had to go in and rescue it. Long story short it was reunited with its momma who promptly ushered it away.**


	13. Chapter 13 Finally!

**A/N: We do not own the characters of OUaT, we do retain rights to original plots and storylines.**

**Chapter 13**

**Finally**

Regina's approach to sex was pretty much the same approach she used in her practice. She always covered all her bases, researching every aspect of the case so she wouldn't miss any pertinent data, then used her research to develop an eloquent and solid oral argument that was utterly convincing because the jury could tell she was just as committed to giving them everything they needed to come to a quick and satisfying verdict as they were. She prided herself on her ability to read her witnesses, knowing when a firmer hand was called for and when she had to lay it on thick, coaxing a reluctant witness with encouraging words or lashing out with a wicked tongue when needed. It was all about timing, knowledge, and a firm understanding of the case at hand.

Fortunately for her, Emma wasn't a hostile witness.

Regina moved up Emma's body, straddling her body much as she had earlier in the day when things were going very differently than now. Making love to the blonde woman had sent her body into overdrive, she could feel her arousal, wet and hot, slide against the flat stomach beneath her as she rocked slowly; enjoying the power she held over the woman beneath her. Green eyes watched her with lazy intent, strong hands snaking up along her thighs, her belly, until the insistent fingers found her breasts. She gasped when rough fingertips closed in on her nipples, pinching and then tugging on them, encouraged by the low moan and arching back as Regina's slow rocking increased in speed, her hips rolling against the firm muscles beneath her thighs.

"You like this?" Emma growled.

"Ah, God yes, harder…" Regina begged her hand covering Emma's as she encouraged her to work her nipples harder. Emma obliged, increasing the pressure on the hard nubs until the pleasure was tinged with the slightest edge of pain.

Emma was enjoying the show entirely too much, the erotic sight of the honey skinned brunette rising above her renewing her own arousal despite the spent feeling between her thighs. She could barely remember leaving the barn, let alone how they had managed to make it up the stairs to her bedroom. She remembered kissing the smaller woman, pushing her against the tall stack of hay bales, only to be interrupted by a confusing request to stop. She practically looked cross eyed at the brunette. After two weeks of self-denial and then Regina throwing herself at her, she wanted to stop? Breathing hard and trying to hold her hormones in check, Emma had to laugh when Regina explained. A roll in the hay might be a common metaphor, but it was quite another matter in real life. Hay poked and prodded and itched like hell. A single thought fought for precedence and won. Bed, she needed her bed, and she needed Regina in it.

This time, Regina wasn't going to take any chances. Clothes were in the way, and she made them disappear. Emma tried to lay her down on the bed, her green eyes dark and smoky with desire as she drew her into another passionate kiss, her tongue demanding as it sought dominance over hers. Regina was having none of that, rolling the taller woman on her back as she kissed her way down her body, learning what she liked and didn't like on her way to her ultimate goal. Emma's breast were sensitive, the nipples small and pale compared to hers, responding to her tongue and lips but too sensitive for teeth. Emma writhed and moaned beneath her, long finger's tangling in her hair as she urged her on and down. Soft brunette tresses floated softly across Emma's skin as she moved down her stomach, planting small kisses along the sculpted muscles. Emma gasped as the silky wave of brunette hair brushed across her breasts, her nipples puckering and rising in response to the feather light touch. Moving down Emma's lean body meant losing the heated connection between them, but her need to taste what she could feel pressing into her center as their hips moved against each other was overwhelming. Pushing Emma's legs wider with her body, she settled herself between Emma's thighs, golden curls damp with arousal begging for her touch. In an unexpectedly trusting move, Emma pulled her knees up and out, her lips opening to her to reveal damp, pink folds that glistened with arousal. It was too much for Regina, she had waited much to long for this moment to wait a moment longer. She just didn't expect the intense reaction her body had to Emma's passion as she slid her tongue along swollen folds, the sweet taste of Emma's arousal like ambrosia on her lips. Her hips jerked in spasm, and her core flooded with her own arousal as she felt the blonde's passion rise and swell beneath her. It was only after she had thoroughly explored every inch of Emma's wetness, the slick flesh responding to both long lingering strokes and bold sucking, that she gave in to the other woman's begging and pleading to finish her. Latching on to the hard bundle of nerves she had carefully avoided, Regina brought eager lips around Emma's swollen clit, her tongue flicking against the sensitive flesh. She was forced to hold on to the writhing woman tightly, her arms wrapped around slim hips as Emma came undone, her constrained hips thrusting against Regina's mouth as she lashed her tongue against her core without mercy.

"Fuck!" Emma yelled, her back arching as her upper body came off the bed, her forearms flexed and straining against the tousled sheets as her hands clawed and grasped at the tortured fabric. Regina smiled evilly as she refused to give up her prize just yet, curling her tongue along Emma's opening and lapping at the sweet essence brought by the blonde woman's orgasm. She could feel the deep rhythmic shuddering of muscles deep within Emma's core echoing the pulse beneath her tongue. It was only when Emma locked rock hard thighs around Regina's head in a desperate attempt to end the torturous aftershocks that she released her.

That was how Regina ended up straddling the slowly recovering blonde, her Cheshire cat smile revealing how overly pleased she was at the satiated look on the woman lying beneath her. She forgot how fit the other woman was, which evidently included a very quick recovery time as Emma's face curved into an equally evil grin.

"Come up here." She commanded, her muscular arms pulling the smaller woman up as she scooted down on the bed. Regina found herself straddling Emma's head, a pair of wondering hands sliding along her back to knead the firm globes of her ass. Mischievous green eyes looked up at her from between her thighs as she licked her lips in anticipation.

"Hold on." Emma suggested, her enigmatic words confusing the brunette rising above her for the short second it took the stronger blonde to grasp her hips and push her down, a sharp tongue slipping between trimmed lips to lap along her center. Regina's eyes slammed shut at the intense pleasure, her balance compromised by the sudden movement. She reached out and grasped at anything, finding the top rail of the heavy wooden headboard with her hands. Where Regina's approach was all about logic and progression, Emma worked on instinct, her tongue running wildly along wet folds until she found the right rhythm and pressure to send Regina over the edge quickly. She felt a flash of unwanted embarrassment at finishing so quickly, the sensation of being cheated was entirely irrational and short lived. Before Regina could react, the blonde woman moved out from under her, one hand shooting out to capture hers. She was still kneeling, facing the headboard, and now she couldn't move, not with Emma's fingers laced tightly in hers, ensuring that she couldn't remove her hand. Bared lips found her shoulder, biting lightly as a warm body pressed tightly against her backside. Emma's other hand found time to caress along her back, slowly tracing a pattern along her spine, tickling along her ribs until she skimmed dull nails across her ass teasingly. An insistent thigh pushed her knees farther apart, opening her to further exploration. Long fingers slid along sensitive flesh, making Regina moan and buck against the inquisitive digits. Those long fingers dipped inside her, only to abandon her needy flesh to spread the copious moisture everywhere. The lazy circling continued until the moment Regina thought she would scream from frustration. Emma entered her then, her finger's thrusting deep inside her as she moved against her back, her teeth and lips insistent on her offered neck. Her inner walls clasped and clung to the intruding fingers, her body demanding more even as her mind rebelled at yielding to the talented blonde. She gave in, begging yet again for what her body demanded.

It was all Emma could do to hang on, especially after she added another finger and the brunette woman lost all decorum, thrusting and moaning into her as she pushed in and out as far as she could go, the webbing between her fingers burning with each deep plunge. She wasn't done though, not by a mile. She wouldn't be done until Regina came screaming in her arms, until she could feel the slick muscle clamp down around her fingers hard enough to trap them deep inside her.

God it felt good, Regina thought, what Emma was doing to her was so good, but she couldn't finish this way, and she wasn't sure how to let her know. Emma's rhythm faltered for just a moment, slowing the inevitable rise in passion before sending it into overdrive as Emma twisted her fingers inside her, fingertips pressing inside her and finding that one spot that narrowed her universe to the heavy sensation building deep inside her. When Emma finally released her hand, she was free to move and she leaned back into the firm breasts of the woman behind her, twisting her head to find waiting lips eager to kiss her passionately. Her breasts heaved as she tried to breathe past the waiting orgasm, her movements becoming desperate as the illusive spark failed to ignite until Emma pressed the fingers of her free hand against her swollen clit, stroking it in time to her thrusts and sending her over the edge. Her pulse pounded in her temples and between her legs as ecstasy flooded her veins, blinding her to the world around her as her vision bled red then the purist white.

The two women fell into an exhausted, throbbing puddle of limbs as their frantic breathing fought over the oxygen left in the room.

XXX

The unexpected sound of the cell phone going off invaded their bliss, making both women curse as they were forced to search the room full of discarded clothing. Regina found the phone first, ignoring Emma's attempt to grab it from her. There were only two people who would be calling, and she knew it wasn't her Uncle. That left Graham, who had been trying to get ahold of her for a while. She wasn't in the mood, and now Regina was trying to hold a polite conversation with the annoying Sheriff while standing in her room clothed only in her professional manners. Not that Emma wasn't enjoying the show, but really?

Regina handed Emma the phone and her irritation got the best of her.

"Jesus, Graham! You have the worst fucking timing in the world, you know that?" Emma listened for a minute, her mood not improving as he spoke. Regina started gathering up their clothes, then stopped when she noticed a bright red creep starting at Emma's neck and coloring her cheeks.

"Nothing. Just working on some broken fences I have been meaning to mend." She lied, giving Regina a knowing glance as she looked her up and down. The appreciative look turned into something else, Emma's green eyes smoldering as she strode up to the dark haired woman.

For a moment, Regina thought she was going to get kissed right there and then while Emma was on the phone.

"Fuck, Alright then. We'll be there." Emma cursed, the smoldering look snuffed out like water on fire.

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**A/N: So, after teasing and playing around for 12 chapter's I finally decided to have mercy on my readers and give them all what they have been asking for….Swan Queen…so please enjoy this albeit smutty chapter, and then on to the next drama filled chapter next time! If you are enjoying the ride, ah, story…..please review and let me know what you all think!**


	14. Chapter 14 Afterwards

**AN: We do not own OUaT but we do retain rights to original plot line, concept and story line.**

**Chapter 14**

Emma glanced over at the brunette woman sitting quietly in the passenger seat of her jeep. Regina was sitting uncomfortably in the bucket seat, the bumpy ride of the four by four obviously not her favorite way to travel. Of course, it may not have been the ride itself. It could have been the fact that the jeep was headed downhill towards the sleepy town tucked into the valley below Emma's farm. That, in and of itself, explained why Emma was pushing herself into a foul mood already, sure that Regina could feel the waves of irritation that was radiating off her skin like a bad sunburn.

"You know," Emma drawled, "if you hadn't answered MY phone we would still be in bed finding out how many different ways I could make you moan. But no, now we are on our way to the sheriff's station because you answered MY phone." Emma's eyes never left the winding road, she never turned her head to look at the alluring brunette who had just a short while ago had been enjoying her full attentions. The jeep bounced and jostled along the winding country road, shifting smoothly with each exact movement of Emma's arm, long finger's tapping along the smooth shifter with every emphasized MY. She seriously had no excuse for claiming sexual frustration for her mood, not after the last few hours they had spent together. But, it was like a dam had violently broken open, letting the flood waters of her imprisoned libido slam relentlessly through her bloodstream like a storm driven deluge. She had been cheated of her desire by a single phone call. She had been prepared to ride that stormy path regardless of any damage the force of her need left in its trail, until her energy was spent and the only proof of her passing was the damp earth and shallow puddles reflecting the image of a sun too shy to speak about the overpowering passion it had just witnessed. She could feel that unquenched storm beating against the inside of her skull and wrapping itself around her spine, dark clouds gathering heavy and ominous as she drove towards a task she had tried to avoid. She still had half a mind to turn the jeep around and carry on with all the delectable plans she had rolling around in her head. Plans that revolved around the brunette now sullenly curled up in her passenger seat and included the both of them not leaving her bedroom until the need for food and drink became so unbearable they would have to stop.

Regina just sighed. Did the irritated blonde think it was any easier on her? Hell, just hearing Emma say that had made it more difficult to sit comfortably in the bouncing jeep, especially when every jolt reminded her just how slick and sensitive she still was after their first encounter. Trying to stabilize her rocking body had almost sent her over again when she was forced to squeeze her legs together, forcing her attention away from the winding road and making her close her eyes against the sensual waves of aftershock rolling through her lower abdomen and travelling up and down her spine like an invisible caress.

Emma had been exceptionally peevish since Graham had called and interrupted them, and Regina had been stubbornly trying to NOT apologize for the last 5 miles of winding road. She finally gave in, the apology sounding just as peevish and slightly bitchy. She couldn't help it, apologies just were not her strong suit.

"I'm sorry, Emma. Really I am." _More than you will ever know, _she added to herself. "I wasn't thinking. A phone rang and I picked it up." It wasn't like she was thrilled that after finally getting the blonde into bed that they were now being put off from spending more time exploring this new aspect of their relationship. _New aspect? _Regina shook her head, not sure where to go with that thought just yet, filing it away for later introspection. Instead, she considered the implications and possibilities of their little trip. Regina focused on the silver lining of her little faux pas. They were going into town and she was going to take advantage of it. As much as lying in bed all day was a tempting prospect, she had questions that could only be answered in town. Besides, she was sure that she could get Emma's attention back quite quickly if necessary to make sure they would start back where they had left off when they returned to the farmhouse. An errant image, complete with sound, smell and feel, slammed into her mind and sent her reeling for a moment, her eyelids slamming shut as her body reminded her what it had felt like when Emma took her from behind. She had been unable to move freely, her hand captured in Emma's along the top of the headboard as she rocked fiercely inside of her. A slow shudder took her along that path to ecstasy, reliving the moment she screamed aloud and clamped down on Emma's fingers, riding her orgasm to completion as she clawed desperately into the heavy wood beneath her fingertips. Glancing down at her hands, she was surprised to find her manicure still intact, and wondered if the headboard had fared as well as her nails. Regina moaned, this time in agony as she curling up even tighter against the leather seat behind her. If reminding her what she was missing had been Emma's goal, she had done a good job. Her body and mind rebelled against her, making it difficult to think about anything else but the two of them. It was cruel and evil and she was not above getting even with the jade eyed woman studiously following the road in front of her, not even glancing her way to accept the daggered looks being thrown at her.

It took Regina a second to realize that the renewed tingling sensation along her inner thigh wasn't another aftershock but was actually her phone vibrating in her pocket. She jumped a little faster than usual, arching her slim hips out of the seat to fish the damn thing out. She was going to have to abandon the vibrate feature on the phone if she couldn't control her thoughts, it was too uncomfortable. She had noticed, however, that her movements had been noticed by the blonde woman next to her. She would take the appreciative glance she had caught Emma casting at her when she had lifted her hips up to get into her pocket. She would take that and the appearance of that small pink tongue slipping wetly across full lips as the other woman's green eyes darkened suddenly, gathering the shadowed depths of the forest around them before she swung her head back towards the empty road. She had the right phone this time, and it could only be one other person contacting her. Flipping the phone open, she read the text message from Gold. Uh, oh. Emma wasn't going to like having to make another stop.

"Emma, why would Gold have my files sent to the library?" She asked curiously. She had asked for a copy of all her cases that might lead her to her stalker, but she hadn't considered how he was supposed to get them to her. She was truly and really sequestered away in this little town. She was finally getting a taste of the isolation some juries had to go through in order to satisfy some of the more high profile cases. Of course, they didn't get an Emma, which made her feel slightly guilty.

"Because he often has books sent there." She explained, the Jeep's engine grumbling as she downshifted. The 25 mph sign just ahead of them meant two things, she had to slow down, and she was almost inside the town limits. Both of those things didn't agree with her much. "It's safer than having them sent to the house." She added as she made the last turn that would put her on main street and headed into town. The subtle clicking of the turn signal mocked her with its cheerful rhythm, and she wished for the umpteenth time that Regina hadn't answered her phone this morning.

"So, he is like a benefactor?" Regina asked, surprised that Gold was involved in such a charitable action.

"Yes, before he left he was the richest man in town, and he still helps out as much as he can." Emma's lips twisted wryly, an odd inflection coloring her voice and sending Regina's radar pinging. Emma had left something out.

"You said was. Who's the richest now?" Regina was curious about the workings of the small town that both Emma and Gold came from.

"Me." Emma answered simply, distracted by the familiar surroundings that held so much history for her, the fond memories of her childhood marred by the newer ones. It wasn't right, looking forward to coming home for so long, just to realize that you've become a stranger to your own past. Shoving down the melancholic mood threatening to overwhelm her, she chose to focus on her passenger instead. Trust Regina to hone in on what she hadn't said, rather than what she was saying.

"What?" Regina exclaimed, sitting straight up in her chair and turning to face the blonde woman, unsure how to respond to that little tidbit of information, trying to reconcile the idea that Emma had more money than Gold. The Emma she knew didn't scream rich…her Emma was the stubborn and intractable woman that she had to remind to wash her hands, who existed in old jeans and tank tops and lived for getting dirty on her farm?

"Yep." Emma smiled crookedly, the finest of lines crinkling along her eyes when the smile crept up her face and made her eyes sparkle wickedly. "Does it make you want me more, knowing that I'm rich?"

"I could care less about how much money you have. I just want you for your body." Emma's teasing tone was a welcome change, and Regina couldn't help herself, upping the ante with her own suggestive response.

Emma laughed, a low chuckle that held all the sweetness and depth of a fine burgundy. That laugh was enough to encourage Regina, she would do a lot to hear that sweet sound caress her ear as often as possible.

"I guess that means we have to stop at the library?" She asked, relieved that the earlier tension between them was melting rapidly. Regina hoped that this extra stop wouldn't upset Emma, but she seemed fine with the news.

"You don't mind?" Regina asked, feeling unsure of herself and needing some kind of verbal response from the other woman. A simple nod just wasn't enough, she couldn't read Emma as well as she could most people.

"No, if there is a chance that whoever is doing this to you is in your files, we need to get them." Emma responded, her forehead creasing slightly and her easy smile slipping away even as she spoke. It was Emma's serious face, her go to look when she was thinking more about her job protecting Regina than the fact that she wanted to fuck her silly.

"Trying to get rid of me already?" Regina asked teasingly, she had noticed a sudden drop in temperature accompanying Emma's comment, and she wanted to bring that lazy, sexy smile back to her face. It was amazing how sensitive she was becoming to the blondes moods. It did bother her a little bit that Emma seemed so keen on helping her find this creep. So, while she had meant the question to be joking, she still felt unsettled. She shouldn't get upset at Emma doing her job, so why was it bothering her so much that they might find the stalker sooner than later?

"Not at all Counselor. I just don't like the thought of someone out there waiting to hurt you, and we have no idea who it might be."

Regina didn't care that Emma had remained in serious mode, it wasn't so much how she had just spoken than what she had just said. Her full lips curving into a satisfied smile, Regina settled back into her seat, content to leave it at that for now. Emma had basically just admitted to caring about her.

XXX

Emma pulled up to the sheriff's station, her green and gold Jeep Wrangler not looking as out of place next to the sheriff's Cherokee as she would have wished. Her movements precise and efficient, she jumped out quickly, coming around to the passenger side to help Regina crawl out of the raised 4x4. Taking the lawyer's hand, she helped the other woman slide awkwardly out of the bucket seat, her feet dangling a couple of inches above the pavement. Emma smirked at the childlike posture, and Regina felt her face growing hot until Emma showed her mercy and helped her out of the ridiculously tall vehicle. Emma didn't release her hand even after her feet gratefully found the ground and the two women walked into the vaguely official looking building together.

Regina was astonished that Emma was holding her hand in public, but she wasn't about to say anything that might ruin it. She was secretly thrilled that the normally reserved woman who she suspected was also quite shy socially was advertising their connection so obviously. A powerful surge of possessiveness welled up inside her, hot and hungry, surprising Regina with its voracious need to let other people know they were together. Not just other people, she amended, townspeople who knew and had grown up and had maybe even dated Emma in the past.

Emma strode into the squat building and headed straight back towards Graham's office, bypassing the stunned secretary who just sat there, her mouth gaping open like a bloated fish as the resolute blonde blew past her. Regina felt carried along by the sheer force of presence that Emma was exuding, feeling sorry for the weak-willed woman sitting speechless behind her desk. When Emma wanted to, she could be quite impressive, carrying an air of unstoppable force that discouraged other people from stepping foolishly in front of her chosen path.

"Where is the paper work I need to sign?" Emma asked unceremoniously, completely bypassing any social graces in her irritation at having to be there in the first place. Graham had called them in so he could finish up the paper work on the incident with the hunter's. She had been avoiding the tedious task, hoping that he would eventually get the hint and just drive up to the farm. She wasn't opposed to a quick visit by the Sheriff, not if it would have saved her from a trip into town.

"Right here." He stood up, nodding at Regina amicably before handing over a sheaf of papers to Emma that she quickly scanned before handing them over to Regina.

"Does this look good to you, Counselor?" She asked, the peevish tone in her voice back in full force. Regina felt the sting more sharply than she would have thought from Emma's formal use of the term Counselor, the palm of her hand already feeling cold and empty after Emma had let her fingers slip away. Still, she was an involved party and she was an attorney so Regina scanned the statements fully, ensuring that there was nothing there that could hurt Emma in any way.

"Yes, it's all in order."

Both Regina and Emma signed the paper work. and turned around to leave. Emma turned to leave, reaching for Regina's hand to speed up her attempt at a quick escape before Graham could give her his usual spiel. She didn't make it.

"Emma, a word." He rushed on before she could object or leave, both of which were an equal possibility. "I really wish you would reconsider my offer and become my deputy. You're wasting your skills by just sitting up there on your farm, all by yourself."

"I'm not by myself right now, Graham, I have Regina with me." Emma protested. She sounded perfectly reasonable, and quite happy to have a new excuse for not accepting his perpetual job offer. Graham's eyes scanned Emma's face for any opening and found none, then slid down to take in the interlaced finger's. His face remained impassive, but his mind raced, taking in how close the two woman stood together. Emma didn't seem the least bit put off by the dark haired Attorney standing at her shoulder, well within her overdeveloped personal space. That was enough for the Sheriff to realize that the two women's relationship had moved a long way from just Emma protecting Regina from some unknown stalker. His gaze passed over Regina, weighing the situation and finding it wanting. Regina wasn't from Storybrooke, she was used to the big city and all the amenities it offered. When Emma found her stalker, and he had no doubt she would, Regina would run back to Boston and leave Emma behind. She didn't deserve that, and it would only make her dig her heels in even deeper, making it even harder for him to convince her to leave the refuge of her farm.

Regina shook her head tersely, silently acknowledging and denying the knowing look that the Sheriff was giving her, the fine hairs at the base of her neck rising in response to the judging look.

"Yes, for now. But she will be leaving eventually." the older man persisted, holding his own against the deadly glare Regina was throwing his way.

Regina felt Emma's body stiffen up beside her, the blonde's finger's tightening painfully around hers. That was a low blow, but she remained quiet, instinctively knowing that this was Emma's fight, not hers.

"Graham, I don't want the responsibility of a whole town. A town that can't even figure out how to treat me anymore." Emma answered angrily at first, ending her argument with a resigned tone that held a deep sadness. Regina wiggled her half numb fingers, reminding Emma that she was there for her. She was rewarded with a looser grip, the blood rushing back into the digits, bringing pain with the returning blood flow that held more pleasure than she could explain.

Emma was ready to leave. It was always the same thing with him.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked Regina, her green eyes flashing at the brunette next to her, grateful for Regina's silent support.

"Yes."  
Walking back out to the jeep, Emma was quietly going over in her head what Graham had said. She knew Regina was going to have to go back to Boston eventually. She just wasn't expecting to be reminded of it so soon after finally giving into her desire for the lawyer. They hadn't even talked about what they were to each other, or if there was even going to be a future for them.

Regina was preoccupied with her own conflicting emotions. What was she going to do about Emma when this whole business with the stalker was over? She was seriously hoping Emma would still want to see her. Boston wasn't so far away that they still couldn't see each other. Each lost in their own thoughts, the two women scrambled back into the jeep and headed for the library.

Emma pulled to a stop in front of library, still unsure what to do about Regina. She wanted to catch the stalker and eliminate the threat to the brunette lawyer who had somehow gotten under her skin and found a way into her bed. The sooner she got rid of the threat, the sooner Regina would be safe, but she would also be gone. She had always told Regina that her first concern was her safety. That success meant she would lose Regina in the process was just shitty luck. Emma knew she was avoiding her feelings, but trying to convince herself that this was all about sex was not going to fly for long. She just wasn't ready to go there yet.

"Your files await, my Lady." Emma opened Regina's door gallantly, but didn't hold out her hand this time. Regina felt the loss deep down inside her. Damn sheriff had to open his mouth and upset her lover. _Her lover?_ Where the hell had that come from? But she had to be honest with herself. Whether or not it had started out as sex this morning, the possessiveness she was feeling towards Emma wasn't something she would feel for a casual fling, somewhere along the way she had fallen for the tall blond. Why else would she already be planning ways to come visit her after this was all over?

Regina stumbled on her way into the library when she stumbled across another question festering in her mind. What if Emma didn't want her to come back? Emma had missed Regina's soul baring moment since she had outpaced her to the door. Turning back, she held the door open for the shorter woman before joining her in the cool interior that smelled like every other library. The calming smell of paper, old glue and musty words held a unique undertone of spice and sandalwood she couldn't identify until a slightly built blonde woman stepped out from behind one of the tall bookcases and approached them. The scent grew stronger as the woman approached, her broad smile out of place with the somber, churchlike atmosphere of the empty library.

"Hey, Belle! My uncle sent some boxes for me here?" Emma asked the blond librarian who openly eyed Regina with a sharp and curious look.

Regina had to do a double take, her brown eyes widening in response to Emma's casual banter. Emma was actually being friendly to the other woman and her voice held a warmth in it that Regina hadn't expected to hear while in town.

"Yes Emma, they are in the back. How are things going on the farm?" Belle reached out and squeezed Emma's forearm affectionately.

Regina looked back and forth between the two women, trying to determine how well they knew each other. She realized that she was holding her breath, and let it out slowly when she couldn't detect any undertone of flirting from either woman. An old friend, maybe?

"Same old, same old. Regina, I am just going to get the boxes loaded up." Emma left the two women alone and headed into the back supply room. Regina stared awkwardly at the other woman, trying size up the shorter blond.

"Do you know Emma well?" she asked, figuring going on the offensive would be the quickest way to answers. She wanted to make sure that Belle wasn't some secret admirer she had to worry about.

"I have known her since high school." Belle smiled sweetly, almost wistfully. "I was new to town. My dad had just gotten out of the military and decided he wanted to settle down in a small quiet town. Somehow, he found Storybrooke. I was quite shy and some of the other kids would pick on me, you know how it is when you are the new kid in town? But when Emma found out what was happening, she stopped them. She was against bullying of any kind." Belle turned her head towards the noise of boxes being taken out the back door, Emma's grumbling voice carrying across the quiet spaces as she groused about the weight of the book boxes she was lugging. "She was one of the most popular girls in school and she was smart, too. You would have expected her to be one of the bullies, you know. But she was really unique, an old soul I guess."

Regina nodded, that sounded a lot like Emma. Always taking up for the underdog and protecting the weak. She could see how the military might have attracted her, how hard it must have been for her to learn that real life wasn't always so black and white.

"She actually suggested I get the job here, because my nose was always stuck in a book, and it's always quiet here." Belle continued, seemingly content to fill in the quiet between them.

"She actually seems to like you." Regina observed, making Belle blush a little. "Were you two ever involved?" It was horridly direct, and just plain bad manners on her part but she just had to know.

"No, she is just my friend. I think I am different because I know what it's like when someone gets out of the military. I don't treat Emma any differently because she was in. I just treat her like Emma, if that makes any sense." Belle was giving her an odd look, like she wanted to say more but didn't want to intrude on Emma's privacy.

What Belle was saying did make sense to Regina. It seemed like everyone wanted something from the blond woman because of her acquired skills. Even she was relying on them to keep her safe. From what she had heard from Emma, she didn't want to take on any responsibility that reminded her of her time in the military, and somehow she thought that was what her town was expecting of her. How terribly isolating to feel that unspoken demand, when all she wanted was a less complicated life.

When Emma reappeared, she sat and hung out while Regina and Belle chatted quietly about different books for a little while before an increasingly impatient Emma reminded them that she really wanted to get going. Today seemed to be a day of almost escapes, since they didn't get far before Belle followed them, calling them back inside. Evidently, Emma had missed a box. Another customer had shown up and was chatting with Belle, which of course sent Emma running for the back room. Regina followed close behind the retreating blonde, not interested in getting caught up in local gossip with a stranger while Emma hid out in the back.

She found Emma pacing in the small room, obviously not very happy with the way things were going.

"Hey?" Regina spoke softly, stepping into the path of the stressed out woman, making her stop and stare at her. "What's wrong?"

"I, I really hate coming here, Regina." Emma rolled her eyes towards the door separating them from Belle and her insistent visitor. "And honestly, I don't know if what we did, what we are doing, was such a good idea."

Regina breathed in sharply, the cold smell of fear invading her senses and giving her clarity. Emma was afraid. Regina had to be careful, every fiber in her body was warning her that saying the wrong thing would send them down a very different road than the one they started travelling earlier today. Stepping closer to the skittish blond, Regina put one careful hand over the other woman's heart, feeling the dull thud speed up with even such a simple touch. It gratified her and made her brave, brave enough to take a chance and ask the one question that she was afraid Emma would say no to.

"Emma, I have to ask. When this is all over, do you….ah, would you still be interested in seeing me?" The hesitant question lay between them for a handful of heartbeats before Emma answered her. Not with a simple yes or no, but with a powerful hug that picked her up off her feet and stole her breath away. Before she could catch her breath, she found her legs wrapped around Emma's waist and her back pressed up against the wall, being kissed thoroughly and enthusiastically by her lover, the endearing term held back from her tongue but not in her innermost thoughts. A soft cough brought them back to reality, faces burning brightly in embarrassment for being caught making out in the library. Belle was trying very hard to carry out her role as the scandalized librarian, but she couldn't quite pull it off, even though she did sternly wag her finger at them over her glasses. It was all too much, and they all started laughing hysterically. Regina felt tears rolling down her face, and she had to wipe around her eyeliner carefully before forcefully composing herself. Emma bent down and picked up the errant box, thanking Belle for her help before turning back to Regina.

"All right, let's head home." Emma was happy the trip to town had actually been pretty quick and it had ended on a good note. Regina wanted her, and not just until the threat went away. She grinned idiotically, not caring about the tactical problems right now, it was enough to know the other woman was interested in more than just a quick fling.

"No" Regina blurted out, watching the look of shock spread across Emma's face. "I would like to have dinner in town since we are here."

"There is no place to eat here." Emma tried to lie as they walked out to the jeep. She really was ready to go back, not just because she wanted out of Storybrooke, but to finish what they had just started.

"Oh please, there is a place right over there." Regina pointed to the diner down the block. It might not be fancy, but it would work for dinner off the farm. Besides, she had to mete out a little bit of punishment for all the teasing she had endured on the way into town, it was only fair to return the favor before going home. A nice, romantic dinner could be fun, it would give her enough time to make sure that Emma was primed and ready for what she had planned for when they got back to the farm.

"Fine." Emma sighed, resigned to her fate. Staying in town for dinner. Regina really didn't know what she was asking of her.

XXX

**AN: Sorry for the long break, I am in school again, so it is taking a little longer. We hope you enjoy this chapter, things are heating up and will continue to get more interesting...As always, reviews are lovely and encouraging to us to continue.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: all prior disclaimers apply. **

**Chapter 15**

Regina sat on the couch in uncomfortable silence while she waited for Emma to finish bringing in the last of the boxes of case files. She had offered to help but one look from those hard emerald eyes and she had retreated into the house without another word. It was her own fault really. She had listened to, and ignored every entreaty the blonde woman had given her about not going into town. Determined to have her way, she had bullied her way into having dinner with Emma at the only place in town worth eating, only to have both idea's shredded to pieces as Emma's past life came crashing down on them. Now her only comfort, as she sat uncomfortably on the edge of the couch watching Emma muscle box after box of casework into the house, was the information she had gleaned from the evenings wreck.

Oh, dinner had started out just fine. The small restaurant was cozy and littered with locals who all seemed friendly enough, and the food coming from the kitchen had smelled heavenly. She had been so caught up in the mundane thrill of having a normal night out, especially after so much time hiding out on the farm, that she hadn't noticed how tense Emma really was. She had been polite and smiled at the waitress behind the counter, who had smiled back and pointed to a small booth in the back of the restaurant. It was cozy and private and out of the way. In other words, it was perfect. At least it had been, until a certain dark haired brunette woman bounced in and surveyed the restaurant with an annoyingly certain expression on her face. An expression that had turned to outright glee and practiced ignorance when she spotted Emma from across the room.

The burgundy brunette woman taking their order had stopped talking all of a sudden, a worried expression on her face as she glanced from Emma to the small woman approaching them. Her nametag, pinned precariously close to an almost illegally exposed amount of bosom, had let her know that her name was Ruby. Surprisingly enough, despite bending over the table to set it and drop off ice water, gravity failed to have anything else spill out.

"Fuck, Mary Margaret." Emma had growled, her green eyes losing the warmth of summer and turning as dark and cold as chipped stone.

Emma had managed to grate out the last bit of their order, rolling her eyes towards the waitress with a desperate plea. The sympathetic look from Ruby gave Regina the idea that the two women knew each other, and that whoever this Mary Margaret was, neither of them were too thrilled to see her.

"Oh, Jesus, Emma. I'm sorry. I swear that woman can scent an opportunity better than a bloodhound."

Regina had not realized that someone could actually be that dense and still be breathing.

She had wanted to duct tape the short haired brunette's mouth shut within one minute of actually listening to her drone on and on. The quite corner booth that had been so cozy a minute ago, was now a trap that could not be escaped without it being patently obvious. Mary Margaret evidently thought that she had the right to everything in town, and that included joining them in the small booth, and starting a one sided conversation that mercifully didn't require much interaction from the original occupants. Evidently, Regina's presence was just the thing that Mary Margaret needed to have an excuse to talk about Emma like she wasn't there at all. It was her job, evidently, to fill in the mysterious stranger about everything important about her dinner date.

That Mary Margret was so oblivious to the change in Emma's posture and facial expressions as she babbled on about their time in high school was a true testimony about just how privileged and sanctimonious one person could behave and Regina found herself slowly losing her temper as quickly as she was losing her perfect night out.

"You know, Emma. I don't know why you don't just take up Graham's offer. I mean, when you were in high school you always wanted to protect everyone and everything." The annoying woman had turned to Regina. "Our Emma, she was always out to save the world." She spoke conspiratorially, as if letting Emma's dinner companion in on a town secret. Her dark eyes glowed, pleased with her ability to enlighten someone about their little towns Golden Child.

"I mean, really? Isn't that why you left us and joined the military. You really should give back to your community, Emma. And if Storybrooke's very own war hero won't step up and do a little protecting on the home front instead, then who will?"

Regina had been desperately trying not to interfere since Emma seemed to be filling up with enough cold anger for the both of them. She craned her neck around the booth, looking for Ruby and their dinner to arrive and save them from the annoying woman, but neither were in sight. Unfortunately for their dinner date, but fortunate for the words waiting to drip off her tongue, Emma abruptly stood up and left the booth. She launched past Mary Margaret with a silent glare that had about as much effect on the other woman as a firecracker exploding inside a tornado. Regina was thankful to follow suit, but not until she had a few choice words to offer the irritating woman. From the shocked expression on Mary Margaret's face, it was Regina who was being rude, not her.

Emma stopped briefly at the cash register and paid their bill. By the time she had done that, Ruby popped out from the back with two large bags of take out in hand and already prepared to go. Regina thought about that. Ruby seemed to be the only person in the diner that didn't make Emma uncomfortable, and how had she known to have their dinner already packed up?

XXX

When Emma finally came in and sat on the couch next to Regina, she was expecting a tense silence to ensue, not for Emma to reach over and take her hand. Evidently, moving the heavy boxes was therapy for her.

"I don't blame you."

Regina blew out the breath she had been holding. That particular statement was not what she was expecting to hear.

"She wasn't actually one of your friends, was she?" Regina asked, referring to the annoying chatterbox that had made herself at home in their booth without even asking.

"Good God, no! She only tries to talk to me because I have more money than she does. Mary Margaret has a very well developed sense of position. She counts the closeness of her friends by how high they stand in the community, and for her, that means being the closest thing to royalty you can get in such a small town."

"Ah, I see." Regina knew the type herself, law school was full of those types. Privileged, spoiled and always leaning on their money as if it made them more special than the rest of the world.

"I still feel like I should apologize, just for exposing you to that woman again. What she said obviously upset you, and I want to understand."

"Thank you. I guess that's why I'm not upset at you. You didn't know, how could you?" Emma smiled weakly. "I know you are dying to ask questions, counselor, the need to know is written plainly all over your face."

Regina laughed, surprised and pleased that Emma could read her when so many others couldn't. She was right, the need to know was killing her. This was a mystery, one that could be answered with a few succinct questions. But first, she was hungry and they still needed to eat.

"How about if we get our food first, then we can chat? Perhaps the conversation will go down a little easier with a meal and perhaps a little wine?" Regina asked, she could use the time to think about her questions, and she really was hungry.

XXX

"Can you tell me about the reaction we got when we first walked in?" Regina had managed to wait until both women had enjoyed a good part of their meal. It was never wise to have a difficult conversation on an empty stomach. She held out her empty glass when Emma offered her a refill, and they both sat and sipped in silence while Emma thought about the question.

Emma knew Regina was referring to when they first entered the diner and it went completely silent and then overly loud. Emma had been thrilled to find her friend Ruby there, she knew and understood Emma better than most and she was nothing like Mary Margaret and her ilk. Ruby was a demonstrative woman, and wasn't the least bit shy about it. She was also a hugger, her enthusiasm at seeing Emma after so long earning her a bosomy embrace. She had also noted Regina's reaction to that hug. _Was she jealous? It was just Ruby, but then, how would Regina know that?_

"Well, you already know that I grew up here. And then I left and joined the military, got injured and got sent home?" Regina nodded, impressed with how Emma had compacted so much of her life into one small understated synopsis.

"Well, I guess a lot of people thought I would just pick up where I left off, you know." Emma took another sip of wine, a stalling technique that Regina appreciated but didn't comment on. She didn't want to interrupt Emma now that she was finally offering to share her story.

"It's odd, you know. When you leave somewhere and come back to it. People either expect you to be the same person who left. They see you like they want to see you, regardless of who you've actually become."

"I had left Storybrooke, which is a rare enough occurrence as it is, and then I returned, which is even rarer. I had changed but the town hadn't. Half of the people kept treating me like that seventeen year old girl that had run away, and the other half acted like I was some returning savior-their very own war hero to trundle out on parade day and be a source of town pride."

"They didn't understand. I don't see myself as a hero, Regina, but they just thought I was being me. Not wanting the accolades or recognition." Emma stood up suddenly, nervously pacing the living room. She ran her fingers along her scalp, rubbing at the frustration she felt over the entire situation.

"Hell, I'm not a hero at all. All I want is to be left alone up here. But they all keep pushing." Emma's voice was tinged with pain and anger as she finally spoke about something she had kept bottled up for so long.

"They just don't get that I don't want to talk about what I saw or did over there."

Emma stopped pacing and looked down at Regina with a wild look in her eyes. She had balled her hands into fists so tight, the knuckles blanched white and her forearms shook from the effort. Those eyes pleaded with her to understand. She didn't want Regina to see her like her friends did, someone to pity or worse yet, to look up to.

"They can't imagine what it's like watching the people you are responsible for, the people you have trained with, just all of a sudden not be there. Blown up in front of your eyes. Knowing that you're next and then wondering why you weren't. They don't understand how it feels to wipe blood off your hands that isn't yours, and realizing that this will be the last memory you will carry with you of someone that you counted as a good friend." Emma whispered harshly, forcing her clenched fists open to look down at the red marks she had dug into her palms with her nails.

"That's why I keep turning Graham down, I know he wants what's best for me but I just don't want to be responsible for a whole town. I can't. " Emma smiled down at Regina, a smile that held no joy. It was a sorrowful smile, full of regret and lost hope and it tore Regina's heart up to see that expression on Emma's face. "I told you, Regina…when we first met. Do you remember? I told you that you shouldn't want me, not like this, and not like I am now."

Emma started to leave the room but Regina quickly caught up with her. She was overwhelmed by what Emma had told her, but she was not about to let her retreat back into her own personal hell after finally letting her in.

"You are right. I don't know…and they don't know how you feel or what you saw." Regina spoke urgently, it was important that Emma knew where she was coming from.

She gently raised Emma's chin so that she would look at her. So that she could watch her as she spoke and know that she was speaking truthfully.

"I won't push you to tell me what you can't or don't feel comfortable sharing. And yes, I remember what you said then, and it makes a lot more sense to me now. But it doesn't change how I felt then or how I feel now. You are an incredible woman, Emma Swan, do you know that?" Regina asked, daring the blonde woman to turn away from her. She didn't, which was a good thing. What she did was even better, since Regina found herself suddenly wrapped up in a crushing embrace that would have left her breathless, if she hadn't already lost her breath to the feel of Emma's lips crashing into hers. It was a demanding, life affirming kiss that seemed to feed Emma's soul even as she feasted on Regina's lips. It was a kiss that Regina, for lack of a better word, could only describe as magical. Or magnificent…she couldn't think well enough to form a full sentence.

"Wow." Emma breathed, trying hard not to look star struck.

"Hmm, delightfully understated my dear." Regina drawled, her mocking tone playfully defiant. Did she want to admit just how weak in the knees she was feeling after that kiss? No. Did she need to sit down before gave herself away? God, yes.

"Wow, indeed." She murmured, leaning into Emma's arms and hoping she was a little steadier on her feet than she was.

"Come, sit down on the couch with me. You don't have to leave."

XXX

"Just tell me one thing…how do you want people to treat you?" Regina asked after a few minutes of just cuddling on the couch. The silence had left too much room for self-reflection. She was a balls to the walls attorney. She knew this about herself, it was who she had been for a long time and she always acted in accordance with this idea. Especially when it came to relationships.

But, there was something about witnessing Emma's walls come down today that had gotten to her. Emma already had her respect, but she was starting to think she might have her heart too. Seeing her this upset had really bothered her, revealing a level of emotional attachment she just wasn't used to.

"I just want to be left alone…except by you, of course." Emma hurriedly added. She didn't want to hurt her lover's feelings. "But, really? I just want them to accept me as I am now. The teenager I was left a long time ago, and I am not their hero."

Regina nodded, wisely keeping her thoughts to herself. Emma had a valid argument, but she also dealing with her own issues and she couldn't see that her friends might not know how to treat her, because she wasn't ready or able to give them the chance to get to know who she was now. Emma was still hurting, and deep down inside she didn't feel like she had anything worthwhile to give. At least not anything she could give, not without it threatening to derail the precarious control she had managed to gain over her life.

Regina reached up and lightly stroked Emma's cheek before disentangling herself from the blonde woman. Maybe in time the town's people and Emma would learn how to interact together, but for now, she was grateful to have Emma all to herself. She knew it was selfish, and for all the wrong reasons, but she couldn't help herself. Hell, she didn't even want to get up, but the stack of boxes sat behind her and called to her like a guilty conscience. If she ever wanted her life to get back to normal, she needed to find her stalker and get him back behind bars where he belonged.

XXX

"I need to start looking through these files."

"Tonight, now?" Emma exclaimed, surprised and a little disappointed. She had almost fallen asleep on the couch, and she still couldn't shake the fog out of her head. She had hoped that Regina would want to wait and start fresh in the morning. She should have known better, of course.

"I could at least start sorting them." Regina compromised, not completely willing to give up her task.

"How about if we finish eating our dinner first and then I will help you…with, say the first box tonight?" Emma grinned at Regina, hoping she would get the hint that staying up and going through old files was not the only thing on her agenda for later that evening.

That sounds like a wonderful idea. The food was too good to waste and I hate reheating leftovers. Maybe over desert you can tell me about you and the waitress." Regina couldn't keep that little bit of jealousy out of her voice.

Emma picked up on Regina's little green friend riding shotgun on Regina's emotions and smirked at her jauntily before giving in.

"Ruby is just a friend. She was my best friend in high school."

"She was the one that helped take care of Casper and Pistol when I was gone. When I came back and I was still injured, she continued to come up and help me with the farm until I was strong enough to do it on my own. Turned out she was still my best friend."

"And she owns the diner." Regina asked, mentally kicking herself over being such an ass. She had seen the scars on Emma's back. She hadn't considered how badly injured she might have been physically when she came back. Having someone come and help her with the chores on the farm made sense. She should be grateful that Emma still had people she could rely on, so why was it bothering her so much?

"Well, actually we both do." Emma answered a little bashfully. "She couldn't get a large enough business loan to completely cover the start-up costs, and she wouldn't take the money from me, so I bought the other half. She takes care of all the business stuff and always has food ready for me if I have to run into town so it seemed like a fair deal."

Regina was impressed at Emma's sense of loyalty towards her friends, and she had seen that same loyalty in her friends eyes too, along with a healthy dose of affection and sorrow. Her friends missed her terribly, she could tell that. They were just waiting for Emma to come back to them.

XXX

Emma didn't last much longer than the first few case files before she cracked a giant yawn that heralded a series of yawns that made Regina take pity on her.

"Why don't you go up and start a bath, my dear?"

"I think I will, but you will be joining me soon?" Emma stood and stretched, her shoulder's popping with the effort. She leaned down and pressed her lips across Regina's forehead, then whispered softly in her ear. "Don't think I didn't notice you checking me out just now, don't take too long." Regina felt her face go hot. Of course she was caught, but how could she not look. Regina had been sitting down, so when Emma stood and stretched, her shirt had ridden up enough to offer a tantalizing view of the hard planes of Emma's stomach above low rise jeans that did everything for her figure.

"Um, Ok." Regina stuttered. What the hell was it about that woman that made someone like her, someone that lived by their skill at oration, completely lose their power of speech? Regina chuckled, realizing that thinking about her oral skills of persuasion was not exactly the best line of thought to engage in right that moment. Not if she wanted to get through the case file in her hand.

She dived back into the file to the sound of water filling the tub upstairs.

XXX

Regina jumped out of her skin at the loud roar reverberating through the house. What the hell? She looked at her watch and realized that over an hour had passed and she hadn't gone upstairs. What the hell was wrong with her? Choosing to pour over old files instead of taking Emma up on her offer to join her. A second yell sounded out, sending her heart pounding out of her chest and into her throat. That was Emma. Without a second thought, Regina dropped the file and ran up the stairs and into the darkened bedroom. Emma was there, her hair and body soaked in sweat as she thrashed violently against the covers tangled around her legs.

"Noooo." She cried out, her voice ragged and broken, as if she had been screaming for a long time.

XXX

**A/N: First of all, we are going to apologize for how long it took us to get this out to you. In our defense we will say that we are having to split our time between real life, our book editing, and a DWP FF we are writing at the same time.**

**That being said, we will let you all know that we live and breathe for our reviews on the FF…and that the DWP folks are making my OUaT folk look bad. As in, they are pouring on the love and requests for updates….We love the reviews, good, bad, ugly…love me or hate me (just joking, no haters please) …but we like to know you are all reading this stuff…it motivates me to create this little world…and share it with you..**

**Ultimately, just keep enjoying the reading…no pressure!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey folks...sorry it's been so long between updates. All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Chapter 16**

Emma was caught in a nightmare world of fire and smoke, where the night screamed in agony and what didn't seem to move in slow motion was happening way to fast.

Images of the past flipped through her troubled mind, snatching her from her sleep and sending her back into memories best left forgotten. Like a tumbler running through the numbers, they settled on a day and time and clicked into place, opening the door to a hellish world where pain ruled.

Lt. Emma Swan found herself lying face down on dirt that tasted lifeless and dry, as much of the desert seemed to be. The faint aftertaste of diesel fuel and old oil was more pleasant, but only because it reminded her of her old Chevy back home. She blinked, trying to get the grit out of her eyes. She couldn't seem to focus through the haze and dust. The world around her was silent, until sound came crashing back into her and she winced against the sharp pain in her ears. She listened to the sound of wailing and screaming against the backdrop of gunfire, trying to make sense of the confusion before attempting to move.

Hot fire lanced through her shoulder when she tried to pull herself up, threatening darkness as her vision bled red from the pain. She couldn't remember why she was lying on the ground, or why her arm wasn't moving, but she knew she had to move. To get out of the open and firelight cast by the burning vehicle behind her. It was her vehicle, now minus a couple of pieces and its passengers. Staggering away, she scanned the area for the other occupants.

Where was her driver?

She spotted a soft form a few feet ahead of her, soft only in that it was obviously flesh and blood and not torn and twisted metal. She bent down and flipped the body, expecting to see death but instead finding a groggy and bleeding soldier who almost knocked her over in alarm.

"Easy, soldier." She rasped out, her throat burning in the acrid smoke. "Are you in one piece? Can you move?"

"Yes, Ma'am." He spoke in a voice as raspy and strained as hers. They grinned, despite it all. They were still alive.

"It's good to see you, Jones, and in relatively one piece." PFC Jones was new to the unit, young and wet behind the ears still, but one hell of a driver. Lt. Swan had promised his parents that she would look after him. A stupid thing to do, considering where they were headed, but they had looked at her with such hope that she couldn't say no.

"I don't have a weapon, ma'am." He apologized. Hell, from looking at him, he barely had half of his body armor. Lt. Swan was sure she didn't look much better. "Do you have ammo for your nine?"

"What?" She looked down the length of her arm, numb from the shoulder down, and found her sidearm still grasped in her hand. She didn't remember pulling it. She also couldn't feel the cold steel, nor her fingers. She tried to move her hand, to wiggle a finger. "I can't…" the thought was left unfinished as a dark figure swirled out of the smoke, the AK-47 in desert hardened hands coming up to bear on them. Emma lurched, trying to get out of his line of sight. She cursed her nerveless fingers as the empty black of the end of a barrel pointed at them. She knew that black nothingness would soon flash the brightest of whites when the man pulled the trigger.

They fell, toppled over each other really. It was an inglorious way to go, and Emma couldn't stand the thought of it. She willed her arm to raise, her teeth grinding together at the sharp pain running along her side and across her shoulders. She managed to raise her weapon, but couldn't pull the trigger.

"Goddamit!" she screamed her frustration. She wasn't sure what happened next. The man paused at the sound of her voice, just for a second, just long enough for another hand to reach around and grasp over the top of hers. Her nine millimeter fired, releasing her hand from its death grip, even as it offered death to the man who had almost ended hers. PFC Jones grunted, and then collapsed next to her. It was only then that she noticed the hot trickle of blood staining his BDU's. He was bleeding from somewhere.

"Fuck!" This wasn't happening. She was trapped. The young soldier weighed more than she did and she couldn't move. She couldn't move and he was slowly bleeding out.

"No, Goddamit, I'm responsible for you!" Emma screamed.

XXX

The scene reset itself.

Emma was thrown into the smoke and flame, her shoulder burning cold and hot at the same time. Her flak jacket was a joke. She could smell her own flesh, burnt and broken, the hot trickle running down her back told her that she was bleeding somewhere.

She had managed to get up yet again, her arm dangling uselessly at her side. The crusty staff sergeant balanced against her lurched with every step and set sharp pains through her back. Staff Sergeant Jones was new to the unit, but an old friend from her enlisted days. Lt. Swan had promised herself that she would look after her old friend. A stupid thing to do, considering where they were headed, but her friend had looked at her with such longing and loss that she couldn't bear for something to happen to her. She was an officer now, and they couldn't entertain the casual encounter's they had enjoyed before. The army looked down on enlisted and officer's mixing like that, but it wasn't until she transferred out that the older woman had told her that she wanted to be more than friends with benefits. It was dangerous, keeping her close, but it was the only thing she could do under the circumstances.

"I don't have a weapon, ma'am." . Jones apologized. Hell, from looking at her, she barely had half of her body armor. Lt. Swan was sure she didn't look much better. "Do you have ammo for your nine?"

"What?" She looked down the length of her arm, numb from the shoulder down, and found her sidearm still grasped in her hand. She didn't remember pulling it. She also couldn't feel the cold steel, or her fingers. She tried to move her hand, to wiggle a finger. "I can't…" the thought was left unfinished as a dark figure swirled out of the smoke, the AK-47 in desert hardened hands coming up to bear on them. Emma lurched, trying to get out of his line of sight. She cursed her nerveless fingers as the empty black of the end of a barrel pointed at them. She knew that black nothingness would soon flash the brightest of whites when the man pulled the trigger.

They fell, toppled over each other really. It was an inglorious way to go, and Emma couldn't stand the thought of it. She willed her arm to raise, her teeth grinding together at the sharp pain running along her side and across her shoulders. She managed to raise her weapon, but couldn't pull the trigger.

"Goddamit!" she screamed her frustration. She wasn't sure what happened next. The man paused at the sound of her voice, just for a second, just long enough for another hand to reach around and grasp over the top of hers. Her nine millimeter fired, releasing her hand from its death grip, even as it offered death to the man who had almost ended hers. Jones grunted, and then collapsed next to her. It was only then that she noticed the hot trickle of blood staining her BDU's. She was bleeding from somewhere.

"Fuck!" This wasn't happening. She was trapped. Jones weighed less than she did so she was at least able to pull her around into her arms. She ran her fingers all along the blood dampened uniform but couldn't find the wound. She couldn't move her and she was slowly bleeding out.

"No, Goddamit, I'm responsible for you!" Emma screamed

"Medic!..I need a Medic here!" She bellowed, even though she knew it was too late.

A weak voice struggled to be heard over her bellowing, but it wasn't until a slight hand reached up and stroked her face that Lt. Swan stopped yelling for help and looked down.

"Emma, it's OK. We got the bastard. You're safe." Emma looked down at the sweat and grime covered face, the dark brunette hair escaping from under her helmet. Soft chocolate brown eyes gazed at her peacefully, in that sleepy way someone looks at you when death is approaching them and they have accepted it.

"Regina?"

"Regina, NO!"

***  
Emma sat bolt upright in her bed, her body sweat drenched and chilled to the bone. Her lungs burned, and despite the great drafts of air she tried to breathe in, all she could smell was fire and blood and loss and agony. Her shoulder throbbed sympathetically, remembering the damage that lay so fresh in her mind each night as the nightmare played itself out.

"Emma? Are you ok" The tentative voice, so soon after hearing her name called within her nightmare, startled her. The woman who had just lain dying in her arms now stood in her doorway, alive and well and afraid to approach her. Emma closed her eyes and the vision returned, so real. The dream had changed and had brought with it all her new fears.

"I'm responsible for you." Emma whispered, her voice cracked and bruised from screaming. And then the tears came. Emma jumped when Regina touched her, her entire body vibrating with the memories of her nightmare. She tried squeezing her eyes shut against the stubborn images, but she couldn't rid herself of the last few moments. Regina had died in her arms while Emma watched the lights dim and turn off in those warm chocolate brown eyes. It was odd, how you could tell when someone was just not there anymore. Every emotion, whether it was love, fear or pain flared wildly in those last few seconds before the soul fled, leaving a dull vessel behind that had nothing to do with the person who was there a minute ago. She couldn't bear it, it hurt too much to think about it.

Drawing a ragged breath, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face. She could still taste the metallic tang of fear and blood, the bitter smell of smoke and ash stung her nostrils, the faint cries of distant wounded as her nightmare followed her into the waking world. This was what she was used to. This was why she stayed alone and uninvolved in the rest of the world. Her only respite from the persistent dream was through pain or numbness.

Regina's arms around her, her soothing voice near her ear, held neither of these things. She was real, warm and alive in her arms, her breath tickled moistly against her cheek.

"Oh, God, Regina…" Emma sobbed, rocking in the other woman's arms.

XXX

Regina held Emma closely, feeling sorrow and regret for putting the blond through this. She knew what she had to do. For herself and for the woman she had come to love. If it was possible for a heart to break twice, it wouldn't even be close to the pain she was feeling.

"Emma its ok…it was just a nightmare." Regina murmured. Another nightmare, the same Nightmare that came to Emma night after night, despite her attempts to hide it.

Emma released the breath she had been holding. The dream had seemed so real. "You don't understand, it won't let me go. Jones was shot and I couldn't save her, and then she became you. You were shot and dying, and there was nothing I could do." Emma stammered out.

"Obviously, I am fine. You have kept me safe." _Now it's my turn,_ Regina finished silently. She knew that her presence had made Emma's nightmares worse, her words only served to justify her decisions. Emma needed more time to heal, and her presence was making things worse, not better. Despite her physical toughness, Emma's soul had taken a beating. Battered and bruised, Regina would not be the one responsible for tearing it completely to shreds.

She took Emma into her arms and kissed her…determined to have one last memory with the blond—her blonde. Tearing Emma away from her nightmare meant she had to bring her back from her visions of death and loss. She brought Emma's hand up to her chest, letting her feel the strong muscle that beat beneath her breastbone before moving them to her breast.  
"Emma, please?" She breathed, begging Emma to choose to see her alive and vibrant in her arms. A deep shudder ran through Emma's body, her tear stained eyes wild and grasping for reality, found Regina's.

"I am here, now. In this place with you, and I want you to feel me." Emma made a sound then, a desperate and needful sound that was so heart-wrenching that Regina almost changed her mind. Then Emma's lips were on hers, and she was falling back onto the bed with Emma rising above her, forcing her thighs apart with one leg. Regina moaned, her body arching into the desperate caresses, the feel of a hot mouth on her breast. When Emma searching fingers found her already wet and ready for her, Regina almost screamed as she entered her. This was no gentle lovemaking, Emma's fingers pushed into her only to withdraw a second later, starting a rhythm that was fast and hard and left them both gasping for air. Regina managed to get her hands under Emma's tank top, running her fingers along the tense back muscles as the blonde rocked against her, her hips moving against her thigh in time with her thrusts. She bent her knee, moaning in delight when Emma shifted, pressing her hot sex against her thigh and leaving a slick trail of arousal that only grew with each deep thrust. She could feel her orgasm building, her body tensing in anticipation of the delicious tumble into blinding oblivion. As her passion washed over, Regina's hands stumbled across the puckered rough patch of skin along Emma's shoulder where hot shrapnel had found a home in her body. Sobbing, she tucked her head into Emma's neck, letting hot tears fall as her body found pleasure without a clue as to how bittersweet the moment was.

XXX

Regina lay alone in Emma's bed and stared up at the ceiling. She waited until the front door slammed shut before rolling over and picking up her phone. What she was about to do was so incredibly shitty it made her feel like vomiting. Convincing herself that what she was doing was for the greater good, that she was doing this for Emma, didn't make it feel any better. Having to argue her points to Gold made it worse, but she was dependent on him to come get her. Emma would be gone for several hours, at least. When she returned, Regina wouldn't be here. Emma wouldn't have to worry about protecting her anymore and maybe her nightmares would recede back into the past where they belonged.

She didn't even bother packing, she just gathered up a few things and went downstairs to write Emma a quick note. Her normally rolling script suffered from a hand that shook more with every word. Words she could barely read through eyes clouded with pain and blurred with tears that she couldn't stop from falling. When the sound of a car's engine rumbled up the driveway, Regina stood, feeling every ache and pain in her body as a physical symptom of her betrayal. She had come here seeking safety and found love, only to have to walk away from that love. That sounded all good and well, but it didn't mean she could absolve herself of the pain Emma was going to feel when she read her letter.

XXX

Emma took her time unsaddling Casper, and while her companion twitched in pleasure at the overly long grooming session, the familiar movements of running a curry comb along the pale hair held no solace. She had seen the tire tracks in the driveway, she recognized the pattern. She also knew that when she finally brought herself to walk back into her house, Regina wasn't going to be there.

"What am I going to do, buddy? Huh?" Emma knew that Regina was bound to leave, sooner or later despite all her promises that they would still see each other. Emma just didn't realize how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened. Laying her head on Casper's shoulder, Emma squeezed her eyes tight against the pain blossoming in her heart, the emotional shrapnel of her failure striking deep inside her. It wasn't fair, really. The past kept interfering with any promise of a future. She grew angry, an emotion that was safer to feel.

It was time to go back in.

XXX

Back in Boston a dark figure watched as Regina entered her house. _Hm she's finally back._


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: We do not own the characters from OUaT We do retain rights and ownership to all original plot and storyline.**

**Chapter 17**

Emma sat alone in her house for five days with nothing to do but pour over Regina's files. She had tried to call Regina, multiple times—but each time her calls went to voicemail. She would have been more worried if she hadn't been in constant contact with her uncle. He kept assuring her that Regina was fine—so now she did the only thing she could—she went through the files seeing if they would yield any clues to who the stalker might be. The number of files were impressive, Regina had been nothing if not prolific in her job as prosecutor. Mug-shot after mug-shot of questionable looking men and a few women stared angrily out at her from the interior of each file. That very few of them managed to escape the justice system was an homage to Regina's talents as a prosecutor. Still, Emma shuddered at a few of the pictures. Soulless eyes that peered darkly from the glossy photographs caught her attention, she had seen eyes like that before. They were the eyes of those who had lost something intrinsically human in themselves. These were the faces of killer's, of people who no longer held the life of other's as sacred and who could perform unspeakable acts against another with all the clinical detachment, or fascination of a clinician dissecting a corpse. Those individuals were put in a special pile, to be looked at more closely. The remaining pile was still surprisingly large, but she had already managed to reduce her possibilities list to about eight wretched examples of humanity. Emma worked herself into exhaustion each night, and pushed herself physically every day, running the trails at a pace she knew Regina could never muster and made her lungs burn with the effort. When that didn't work, Emma found herself taking down and cleaning her weapons. It was an oddly comforting procedure, laying out all the small bits and wiping each piece clean, then reassembling them into a working weapon.

Looking down at the kitchen table, she realized that she had spilled gun lubricant on the wooden surface. She smiled grimly, remembering what a fit Regina had the first time she found her cleaning her weapons in the kitchen. She was sure the woman would have a fit if she found a ring of oil on the table. She wiped the spill with a spare towel, her circular hand motions stopping in mid-swipe as she tried to work the dark imprint out of the light wood. What did it matter? Regina was gone. She stood up, pistol in hand, and worked the chamber open and closed once to make sure the action was smooth, then slammed the clip home. The small framed 9mil lived in the kitchen, its home was the drawer that held all of the kitchen towels, and she placed the oiled weapon back under its nest of innocuously printed dish towels. Her mind travelled back to the files sitting on her desk. She had memorized each and every face, noting any specific characteristics that would give them away if she saw them in public. Regina may have run away, thinking to save her from whatever trauma she thought she was causing Emma—but she had made the stubborn woman a promise. Regina was still in danger, and despite the distance between them, Emma hadn't agreed to ending that commitment. If Emma was sure of anything—it wasn't over and the stalker was still out there. No matter what, she would keep Regina safe…even if she wouldn't talk to her.

Regina was making the promises in her letter a lie. Regina had assured her they would keep in touch and Emma was seriously starting to get pissed as that failed to happen. Emma was also angry at herself, angry for not trying harder. That anger spilled out of her and sent tendrils of annoyance towards Regina for not even listening to her. She just made a bunch of assumptions, then ran back home and right into potential danger. Well, Emma was only going to give her a few more days…she would keep Regina safe despite herself. The stubborn lawyer had gotten to her, pushed her to interact with the world and her heart again. She would never admit it, not now or ever, but Regina's leaving had given her time to think. It's a painful thing, reviewing your choices in life and finding them lacking. Being alone after having Regina had done something that no therapist or well-meaning friend had been able to do. She now knew she was ready to be responsible for someone again, she wanted to—no she needed to take care of the woman she loved.

XXX

Emma was pouring over one of the last of Regina's folders when her phone rang…looking down, she saw it was her uncle.

"Hello?" she answered a little abruptly. She was distracted by the file laying open on her desk. A scruffy face was looking back at her, the same angry look plastered on his face that they all had, as if by somehow mimicking righteous anger they could convince the world of their innocence. Right away, she could see the crazy in this guy's eyes. He had been incarcerated for drugs but they had suspected him in his wife's disappearance. Regina had put him away…and like many others he had vowed revenge. She cross-referenced his prison sentence on the computer, but the timing was off…he was still incarcerated when the stalking started. Still, he was out now, so into the pile of possibilities he went—just in case the data was wrong.

"Emma, it's started again." Her uncle rushed out. Emma sat straight up. _Oh God, it had only been five days!_ That meant they had been waiting for Regina to come back.

"Is she safe?" Emma was already moving. She pulled on her boots while balancing the phone against her shoulder. She grabbed her favorite 9mil, a Sig Sauer in a low profile clip holster, and tucked it into the back of her jeans— hunting down a flannel shirt to cover the weapon from prying eyes before bounding out of the house, keys in hand.

"Yes…she is in her office. I cancelled her appointments for the day so she wouldn't have to leave."

"Okay, keep her there…give me a couple hours."

"Be safe, Emma…it won't do her any good if you get into an accident."

"See you soon, Unc." Emma didn't respond to his worry…she needed to get to Regina. She quickly dialed her phone again.

"Ruby, can you take care of the horses tonight? Thanks! I'll explain more, later."

Emma jogged across the yard and into her garage, trying to ignore the thrill of adrenaline she felt at finally having something tangible to do. She pulled a heavy dusty cover off of a vehicle hidden in the last bay of her garage. The Dodge Charger was faster and more maneuverable than her jeep, and she hadn't had an excuse to take the powerful beast out on the road in a while. Besides the glossy black V8 had the power and authority to own the road, which might come in handy today. _I'm coming Regina._

XXX

Regina was glumly sitting at her desk, feeling unmotivated. She didn't want to be stuck in the office, but Gold had given her some files to go over, so she was trying. She missed Emma—a lot. She shouldn't be ignoring her calls, but she also knew Emma needed time. _But, what if I was wrong? What if I made a huge mistake?_ The doubts in her mind crowded in, unwelcome and unbidden, and at complete odds to the needs of her job. It was hard to pour over legal documents efficiently and logically when her thoughts kept wandering back to long blonde hair and soft lips that kept whispering inside her head, accusing her of running away—of making decisions for her. She couldn't keep ignoring that internal dialogue, and she had an idea that it wouldn't go away as long as she avoided talking to the real Emma. With that, she made up her mind. She would talk to Emma tonight and try to plead her case. At least she was good at that, now if she could just convince Emma that she was just trying to save her and give her some space.

XXX

Emma strode right past the secretary into straight into her uncles office. "Hey, Unc…where is she?" Gold's head shot up, startled at the unexpected intrusion, before rushing around his desk and embracing his niece. His surprise when she actually returned the embrace briefly was carefully schooled out of his face before he pulled away. The peeved secretary had made it to the door, a stern expression on her face that quickly melted away about as fast as she did, leaving Emma and her uncle alone to talk.

"She's in her office…I gave her bullshit work to keep her in house and occupied. She's not too happy about it," He pulled a folder off his desk and handed it to Emma wordlessly. She opened it up, not happy to find a bunch of pictures of Regina. As she rifled through the stack, her concern mounted even higher. Photo after photo of Regina entering and exiting her house…the law firm…even grocery shopping. Whoever this was—was very close and knew all her normal routines.

Emma looked up at Gold, an unspoken look passing between them. They both knew it was bad, there was no need to discuss what needed to happen. She nodded, then turned around and left with Gold following close behind. "Next door on the left," he called softly—hanging back in the hall while she entered Regina's office.

XXX

Regina jumped when the pictures landed in front of her, the slick glossies slipping across the desk to spread out like a gambler's prize hand. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, trying to calm herself before speaking. "I know—they started showing up right after I got back." Regina started to explain while she rummaged through the photos, handling them with the barest touch of her fingertips as if too much contact would burn her. She finally looked up—gasping in surprise when she saw Emma standing in front of her desk, instead of Gold.

"Emma?" She rushed around her desk…and into Emma's arms, then backed away, hurt and confused when Emma didn't return her embrace.

"What do you mean, you know?" Emma took a step away as well, leaving a vast distance between them, even though it was only a couple of feet. She was upset that Regina hadn't taken her calls, but to find out that Regina had been getting pictures and hadn't told her uncle at least, that was bordering on suicidal.

"Emma…let me explain."

"No, we are leaving…come on." She took Regina's hand and started pulling her out of her office.

"I can't just leave…at least let me get my computer and phone." Regina argued, then stopped when Gold walked into the office.

"No! No phone, no computer."

"Yes, you can Regina. And Emma is right, no computer and no personal phone." Gold interrupted her.

"We'll get you another disposable phone." Emma watched as Regina ran around her desk, grabbing her purse and then pulling out her phone to throw it in her desk drawer. "Good, now let's go."

"Where are we going?" Regina asked as Emma pulled her out of her office. Emma had taken her hand again and Regina liked the feel of it too much to put up a fight. Emma had come to Boston for her, to keep her safe. She had made a huge mistake in leaving:she knew that now. Boston wasn't her home anymore—her home was with the furious blonde that was hauling her stubborn ass out of her office and back to the quiet of a small country town.

"Back to the farm—Boston is too crowded, I can't keep you safe here." Emma spoke hurriedly, not willing to stop and chat, not when they had to move quickly. Emma's uncle reappeared from a side storage room and joined them by the doors leading out of the building.

"Emma I will be joining you this time…just give me a couple hours." He announced, pressing a small package into the palm of her hand. It was a small disposable phone, still in the wrapper and not activated.

"Thanks, this will do nicely." Emma flashed a grateful smile at her uncle, then dropped a quick kiss on his cheek, surprising both her uncle and Regina. "Be safe, I will see you there. Call me if you catch anything I need to know."

XXX

"Emma, if you won't talk to me, will you at least listen to me?" Regina begged the sullen blonde. They had been sitting in Emma's car for the last hour and Emma still hadn't spoken to her past issuing terse orders. She didn't count the muttered curse words that kept escaping from pursed lips as Emma navigated through the city traffic.

"No. Later, but not now." Emma was furious at Regina. She had put herself in danger the minute she had gotten back to Boston. Not only that but she had hidden the fact that her stalker was back. She glanced in her rearview mirror again—studiously ignoring Regina.

"What do you keep looking at?"

"We're being followed…hold on." Emma's words were the only warning Regina got before being plastered against the black leather bucket seat with centrifugal force as Emma suddenly sped up to slip past a large semi then pulled right hard to make it down the next off ramp.

Emma shifted hard to make the turn then sped up and turned onto the old highway running almost parallel to the freeway, the old road would take her through a maze of country roads she knew would lead into her town.

"Are you trying to lose them?" Regina asked, straining her neck to look behind them.

"No…I'm gonna finish this." Emma gritted out "Call Graham." She held her phone out for Regina. There was another reason to get off the freeway, country roads were isolated and rarely saw more than two cars at a time. It would be easier to catch this guy on her own turf if she took him for a scenic drive first. Besides, it would be awful hard to explain being there than minding your own business on the freeway.

"Hey Graham…We're coming in hot. I've got a beater gray sedan following behind me on Old Fork, I need you to meet me at the bridge and pull this guy over." She knew she wouldn't have to explain more. "Thanks Graham." Glancing over at the now silent attorney for the first time since they climbed into her Charger, she offered a grim smile "This will be over soon, I hope."

XXX

"Sorry, Bud, you aren't going anywhere. If my deputy here says you were speeding and driving recklessly, then that's what you were doing." Sheriff Graham grinned at the greasy looking man he had taken into custody.

Emma's head shot up, her eyes flashing angrily at the Sheriff. Graham just looked at her mildly and motioned his head just the tiniest bit towards the door. Emma grimaced, her mood going from angry to royally pissed in one sentence. The good sheriff had just out-maneuvered her, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Before the sheriff left, he looked back at the cuffed man. "Oh, and when you are ready to tell me what you were doing on that itty bitty little country road, I would be happy to hear that too." His statement resulted in a gratifying shocked expression that left Graham no doubt whatsoever that the man was up to mischief. How much of his "I don't know what you are talking about" routine was pure bullshit, and how much was real was something they still needed to determine.

Emma waited until the two of them were in privacy of the Sheriff's office, somehow managing to hold her tongue until the heavy wooden door was closed and the blinds were drawn.

"What the hell, Graham?" She thundered, knowing their voices were sufficiently muffled by the thick glass between them and the rest of the Sheriff's station.

Graham simply strolled over to his desk and pulled open a drawer. The muffled thunk of leather on wood was like a glove thrown down between them. Emma looked down at the leather encased star sitting on Graham's desk. From the look on her face, it could have been a snake sitting there waiting to bite her.

"Now, Emma." Graham continued in his mild tone, he knew he had the recalcitrant blonde in a corner this time. "If you want me to be able to hold this guy, you have to be legit, and that means being the power behind the badge." He gestured down at the silver metal star.

Emma opened her mouth to disagree, the argument sharp against her tongue.

"No." Graham spoke more forcefully. "Emma, I know you're carrying, and you and I both know you don't have a permit to carry concealed. Please, I don't want to arrest you, too. Your uncle would kill me."

Emma dropped her shoulders. "There really is no way out of this, is there?" She asked, the defeat in her voice absolute.

For a short second, Graham felt sorry that Emma was going to have to take the badge this way, but only for a second. Graham walked back around to Emma, picking up the badge and placing it gently in her hand.

"I know you are hesitant, Emma. But look at it this way. You get to interrogate the son of a bitch in there, and you have the power and authority to protect Regina—legally. This is a win-win situation. I know you don't see it this way now..."

He placed one gnarled hand on Emma's shoulder, noting the iron hard strength there. "Look, consider it a temporary situation for now, eh? After Regina is safe and sound, we will revisit this, and if you don't want the job, I won't force you." Graham really didn't want to offer that out to Emma. He was tired and ready to retire. He didn't just want Emma to become his deputy—he wanted her to take over as Sheriff when he left. Emma deserved the position, and not because of some bullshit hero status. She was the most qualified and he knew she would thrive doing it, if she would only leave the safety of her farm and start living again. If he had to use Regina to motivate her, he would. Emma couldn't stay hidden and living in the past her whole life, he owed that much to her father…he was determined to make sure that didn't happen.

Emma shuddered, staring down at the deputy badge. That bit of silver represented everything she feared—taking responsibility for others, having their lives in her hands. It didn't help that the first person she was expected to protect was Regina. This really was a pass or fail test. Either she protected Regina and they both lived, or she failed and they both died. Deep down inside her, Emma knew that if she failed, it didn't matter if she still breathed, what mattered wouldn't survive. She would lose her heart and her soul if she was left alone with only memories of her failure to keep her company.

Taking a deep breath, Emma garnered her strength and her determination. She had made the decision to protect Regina when she took off after her to Boston. The badge opened up resources she hadn't had before. She consoled herself with the idea that she could quit after this was all over.

"Ok, but just so you know, I am not happy about this." She growled, her green eyes blazing beneath stern eyebrows.

"That is perfectly okay with me, Emma...be pissed, if that is what helps you. Just remember, DEPUTY… you do work for me, so try turning that pissy attitude towards who really deserves it." Graham nodded in the general direction of the interrogation room, where her tail sat waiting for them to return.

Emma nodded, then looked down at the badge in her hand long enough for Graham to leave her alone in his office, and for Regina to sneak in behind him.

"Emma?" Regina asked, trying to get the blonde's attention.

"Christ, Regina...what do you want?" Emma's anger flared at the person in front of her. "Are you happy now? This..." Emma waved the badge at the stubborn lawyer. "This is all your fault. Graham finally cornered me into becoming a Deputy, so I don't get tossed in jail next to the creep we caught today!"

Regina drew back, surprised at the amount of vehemence in Emma's voice. Emma stepped forward, closer into the lawyer's personal space.

"What are you talking about? How is this my fault?"

"If you had just stayed here in the first place—you wouldn't be in danger now."

"But now we have a chance to find out who is doing this…and why." Regina backpedaled, trying to make Emma see reason. "I am sorry you are taking on more responsibility than you wanted or expected…but maybe it won't be so bad."

"I guess we will find out." Emma turned her back on Regina…tensing slightly when the lawyer laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. Regina snapped her hand back, rubbing her fingers together as if she had laid her hand on frost.

"I will leave you alone…and I am sorry." Regina felt like crying, she had royally screwed up. She had meant to protect Emma by leaving, now they were both in more danger than before.

"Don't leave the station, Regina." Emma called out to her as she left. Regina warmed a little at that terse command. Emma might be mad at her, but she obviously still cared. She did come to Boston for her, after all. Regina knew for a fact that Emma hardly ever left her farm, let alone went into town. It must have taken a lot to go all the way to Boston, Regina hoped that was a good sign and not just another checkmark against her.

XXX

Emma walked back into room where they were holding the man who had followed them…her badge clipped to her belt, and her 9 mil now openly displayed on her hip. Graham's eyebrow's raised at the transformation. Emma's demeanor had changed, every bit of her being screamed cop. He was impressed, Emma must have been quite imposing in her Army uniform.

Emma took stock of the man who was pacing the small room…average height, unkept, and wearing wrinkled clothes. She didn't recognize him from any of the files she had gone through.

"Regina…have you ever seen this man before?" Emma asked without turning around, she had heard the brunette woman walking up behind her.

"No. He doesn't look familiar." She had moved closer to Emma, just wanting to be near her. She knew she had screwed up royally by leaving and then not taking her calls. She had thought she was doing the right thing but now she realized she had caused more harm than good. She would fix it, she had too…just not right now. Right now they needed answers.

"Who are you?" Emma barked out. The man looked like a weasel, and he was sweating profusely, despite the room being quite cool. Graham sat back and let Emma do all the work. He hadn't asked the man any questions…he was leaving it to Emma to get the answers.

"Sydney…P.I." The man responded almost immediately. He handed her a business card, his hand trembling slightly as he stared up at Emma. He had never seen such cold eyes, unless you counted his employer. She made him just as itchy as he had.

Emma glanced down at the slightly damp card, the plain black script proclaimed his status as a private investigator. She fingered the cheap cardstock while silently appraising the nervous man staring back at her. The business card looked like it had seen better days, much like the owner, he was as gray and disheveled as the card he had pulled out of his wallet.

"Why were you following us?"

"I wasn't following you…just her." He nodded towards Regina.

"Why?" Emma fired back. She was quickly getting frustrated…the little weasel wasn't withholding any information but he wasn't volunteering anything either.

"I was paid to." He smirked at her, trying to regrow his balls as he watched Emma's brow furrow. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, and it gave him some satisfaction knowing he was making the tall blonde work for it. That satisfaction cost him more than it was worth when Emma slammed her fists down on the table, jolting his elbows painfully against the metal tabletop and practically making him jump out of his skin when she growled at him.

"Look here, you ass. You scared the woman I love…you have been stalking her, since you admit to following her and you were caught driving recklessly in town. I seriously recommend you start talking." Emma was so caught up in her anger that she didn't realize what she had just said but Regina caught it, and by the pleased look on Graham's face, he had caught it too.

"I wasn't stalking her. I was just doing my job…and you were speeding too." He finished weakly, realizing even as the words left his mouth that it didn't matter. Emma was a deputy—he wasn't.

"Who do you work for then?" Emma demanded, her voice cracking like a whip in the small room. The weasel started to sweat more, his eyes rolling around the room so that the whites showed. He tried to get the Sheriff's attention, but the uniformed man simply shrugged and smiled. The message was clear, it was his deputy's show, and he was just there to watch.

He licked his lips, but found no moisture on his tongue to wet them. Afraid his voice would fail him, he just rummaged around in his pocket until he found another business card and placed it on the desk. Emma picked up the card with an exasperated expression, then looked at the card in shock before handing it to Regina without a word.

"This doesn't make any sense." Regina gasped, staring at the business card in disbelief. This card was made of better stock, full color and with raised lettering. What that raised lettering said sent chills down her spine. She handed it to Graham, who read it aloud, a question in his voice. "Gold and Associates?"

"No, it doesn't." Emma agreed with Regina. "MISTER Gold will be here soon…he will clear this up." She announced, noting how quickly her prisoner paled. _Interesting._ She quickly sent a text to her uncle, telling him to meet her at the station A.S.A.P.

_This doesn't make sense at all._

**AN: Alright folks we finally finished our book so hopefully you will be seeing updates a little more frequently. We want to thank all of our readers for putting up with sporadic updates while we have been working so hard on Switching Gears. For those who have asked, here is the link to Amazon if you are interested in the book. Switching-Gears-ebook/dp/B00E63UO1C/  
**

**We are so ecstatic that we arn't even going to "beg" for reviews LOL. Just enjoy the read. **

**Thank you **


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